MORNING MESS: How to deal with those dog droppings

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 26/09/2019 (2388 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

One of the greatest parts of my job is not just playing music and drinking coffee. It’s when were able to have a real meaningful candid conversations with our audience. And that happens on a regular basis thanks to anonymous communication through email and texting.

Last week, we got a text from a listener who had a very common problem often encountered by dog walkers, and especially by my co-host Amber Vandale. Amber and I both have dogs, and so does the listener in question. That listener came to us with the following problem: when out and about walking in the city of Brandon, a dog does number two.

Here is where many people in the city do the wrong thing and fail to pick up the mess. People who neglect to do even that simple task, leaving a little surprise for you to find on your next walk. (Hopefully you’re wearing shoes and not sandals when coming across the little brown present in the grass or on the sidewalk.) Then there are the other dog owners, who take the time to stop and pick up the little baggie, and continue on their merry way. That is, until they can’t find a garbage receptacle.

Do you toss it over a random fence? Do you toss it in a ditch? How about carrying it 14 blocks on your walk until you get home? How about none of the above? And heaven forbid if your puppy goes again. Then you’re carrying too little baggies around the neighbourhood.

If a city pet size trash can can’t be found, can we just come together as neighbours and open our own publicly exposed trash cans to help out? Would people get mad if a random dog owner put dog doo in their garbage can and did it matter where it was? It was a great question, but there wasn’t an easy answer. After all, the trash cans are on public property when it’s garbage day or near a garbage day.

However it did make my co-host anxious, thinking about the chain of events that might bring an angry homeowner running down their driveway, arm extended, and fist-in-the-air screaming at throwing the doggie doo into his or her trash container. I disagreed and believed we should look no further than those pet owners who don’t pick up the poop at all. That’s got to be the worst offence of all.

And if you’re going to the work and benefit of all in the neighbourhood to pick up the poop and put it in an actual garbage can, it’s not like you’re throwing a couch in trash bin, or an old washing machine, or 10 bags of leaves to the point it’s overflowing. This is a tiny little baggie that otherwise would have been lying in someone’s yard.

Then there are those who might take it a step further and actually walk into somebody’s driveway if the garbage can is near the house, lift up the lid, and put the poo in that garbage can. Where does it stop? We most certainly shouldn’t be entering someone’s back yard or enclosed area, but if the trash bin is visible, is it fair game?

• Shaun — I’d rather have you bag it up and put it in my bin than leave a mess in my yard for me to deal with, for sure!

• Ron — As long as people aren’t filling up our bins to the point that we can’t use them, I couldn’t care less. We have a guy who regularly scavenges our recycling for cans. Again, as long as he doesn’t leave a mess for us to clean up afterwards, have at ’er.

• Stephanie — I also threw baggies in bins that were out by the curb or in a back alley. I’d never go in someone’s yard or in a bin near a house. But I would often walk more than five kilometres. I’m not carrying poop for five kilometres.

•Pam — My issue is with people who do not pick up dog poo. Poop from little dogs sticks to your shoes just as much as bigger dogs.

•Chris — Totally fine. What’s the worst that could happen? It might combine superpowers with my baby’s poop?

• Samantha — I was thinking the same thing … so many diapers in mine that I wouldn’t even notice one more bag of crap.

• Lorna — I always use people’s dumpsters, better than leaving it on the ground like a lot of people do or throwing it down beside a tree in the bag and walking away. I’m not carrying it; I draw the line at doing that!

•Val — Sure, as long as they don’t mind me leaving a poopy diaper in their garbage.

•Kathy — If it’s at the end of my lane, it’s fine, but coming into my yard … then no because the bins are right by my house.

•Randi — Yes, so rude! I’ve had to pick bags of hot melted dog poop out of my bin because the garbage men won’t pick it out! (And I don’t blame them!) If you’re going to put it in my bin, open a garbage bag and put it in the bag! I finally put a sign asking not to place it in my can!

• Brittany — This is why I take my dog on the same path all the time. I walk it until after she poops and I can throw her bag into one of the garbages along the way. After that is done, then I can explore different routes. It would be nice though if there were more garbages around the city.

• Rachel — If my garbage can is at the end of my driveway, go and toss it in! Only I myself don’t like it when people toss it in my garbage when it’s by my house because my dogs will spend all day sniffing for the other dog and not going to the bathroom!

• Emily — I’d never be upset for someone to use my dumpster for a poo bag. I use dumpsters around my neighbourhood regularly for my dog’s poo. Of course always bins on the edge of their property, I never go into anyone’s yard.

•Jennifer — I just tie the bag to the leash and then I put it in my own bin.

• Heather — I take the bags home to discard. I would never put it in someone else’s garbage, either. If you don’t have a dog, I imagine having your garbage can pick up the odour from the poop bag would be offensive.

•Kyle — A business on 18th that has a sign posted on the garbage can outside of it. Waste bin is only for garbage from said business. So it really is an issue for some people.

•Jessica — I don’t know about you, but I don’t like carrying bags of hot, steamy poop for several blocks.

•Caitlin — I’d just toss it in. It all goes to the same place in the end.

JOKE THIS WEEK

A man went to visit a friend and was amazed to find him playing chess with his dog. He watched the game in astonishment for a while. “I can hardly believe my eyes!” he exclaimed. “That’s the smartest dog I’ve ever seen.”

“Nah, he’s not so smart,” the friend replied. “I’ve beaten him three games out of five.”

BIRTHDAYS

Rob Jenkins • Sedat Kamali • Amy Taillieu • Tammy Laporte-Crepeele