There Is No Poop Fairy, Please Clean Up After Your Pet
I see it all the time on the side of the street, in trails, or at fairs or gatherings. (Before COVID-19 obviously) Big Pet Dookie.
I think it's become more of a problem lately. People are so happy to get out and get some exercise because of the Pandemic, that they forget a pet bag, and the dog will stop at a bunch of neighbors' homes and do their business in the front yard or on the sidewalk. They leave a gift on the hiking trail. It's not the dog's fault, and I think people unfairly get mat at the dog. They don't put the doggie logs on your sidewalk purposely, think it will be funny to lay a stinky on the hiking trail. It's their owner who didn't clean it up or steer them toward another location.
Some people bring baggies and clean up after their pet (yay) but don't want to carry it to the nearest garbage or bring it home so they eject ti wherever they cleaned up or leave it out in the woods. So my question is, did you really clean up anything? You put it in a baggie then left the baggie. So it's a bigger eyesore now. We aren't going to step in it but now it's a danger to the animals in the forest.
One of my co-workers Stacy and I were talking about this and she just happened to be out on the trails and sent me this email.
I was walking on a trail in one of our fine city parks and found a pale, plastic, blue bag of dog poop that someone had diligently picked up and tied in a knot to close, but left it on the side of the trail in the woods. Why go to the trouble to bring the pet waste bag, pick up the actual poop, tie it up, and then leave it? Instead of having it sit there on the ground and get washed away, it’s left immortalized in a plastic bag for who knows how long. If you don't have a pet baggie, then find a stick and flick it into the woods.
Those of you that are doing your duty. Thank you. Those that aren't (and you are a small number of people, but give the others a bad name), bring a doggie baggie with you, clean up and be responsible for the deposit of the baggie later.
Stacy told me there actually is a campaign in Duluth called “There’s No Poop Fairy, pick up after your pet”, but it doesn't work if people don't do it. Bring a baggie, pick up after your pet, and deposit it in the proper place. Then we can all get out for walks and runs and enjoy nature.