Grab it, bag it and bin it – the only way to go
This year's National Poop Scoop Week has been ongoing all week and runs until this Sunday. The Dogs Trust across the UK hopes that local authorities up and down the country will be running campaigns to urge dog-owners everywhere to clean up after their pooches, to make 2008 the cleanest summer ever.
And that is undoubtedly an effort that will be supported by many parents, particularly of younger children, as well as those of us who walk anywhere in cities, villages, beaches and countryside. Though there are over six million dogs in the UK, it is just a small minority of owners who let the rest down and gives dogs a bad name. But those inconsiderate and thoughtless citizens let us all down by their disgusting indifference to the rest of the population’s health and hygiene.
In our parks, it is all too common, particularly at dawn and dusk (and yes, I have witnessed this personally at both ends of the day, and both ends of the dog) for insouciant pet owners to walk nonchalantly ahead of their dog, ignoring its toiletary activites, which they are well aware are going on behind them.
Dog fouling costs councils across the UK 22 million a year to clean, and remains one of the country’s most complained-about issues, as well as the impassioned subject of many radio phone-ins.
The Dogs Trust urges all dog owners to get behind the campaign and help the country’s canine citizens.
The charity believes every dog owner has a responsibility to pick up after their dog and says that it’s such a shame that a small number of owners put dogs in a bad light, as there are millions of responsible owners and well-behaved dogs out there.
Clarissa Baldwin, chief executive, Dogs Trust, spoke about the campaign, now in its ninth year:
“Through National Poop Scoop Week 2008, we aim to raise awareness of this issue and encourage the minority of irresponsible dog owners to do their duty, making public spaces cleaner and more pleasant for everyone.
“It promotes responsible dog ownership and the message that it is every dog owner’s duty to clean up after their dog. We highlight the simple GRAB IT, BAG IT AND BIN IT plan to show how easy it is for dog owners to scoop that poop.”
n GRAB IT – Always keep a supply of plastic bags near your dog’s lead so you don’t forget to take a poop scoop bag with you on every walk. Simply insert your hand in the plastic bag and pick up your dog’s waste. It’s easy and not as bad as you think!
n BAG IT – Carefully turn the plastic bag inside out and your dog’s mess will then be ‘bagged’.
n BIN IT – Dispose of your bag in a Poop bin. Contrary to popular belief, dog waste can also be put into a public litterbin if a specific dog waste bin is not provided.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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