# People who don't clean up their doggie poop

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [May 31, 2011, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860 "2011-05-31T16:22:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 20\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/21 "2011-05-31T20:30:34Z")

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Once, when I was lucky enough to actually catch a poo-leaver in the act, I called out to them and offered them one of the bags I had for my dog, saying something like, “I saw that you had forgotten yours.” I’m usually not passive-aggressive, but it was so sweet to see the expression on that woman’s face. She did take the offered baggie and clean up the poop, though.

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**Author:** ![Poysyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Poysyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poysyn)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/22 "2011-05-31T20:30:36Z")

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Depending on how gutsy you are feeling, you could say, “Hey! Did you need a bag to pick that up?” and try shaming him into it…

Most people only like getting away with something when they actually feel like they are getting away with it.

Or what lisacurl said… 🙂

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**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/23 "2011-05-31T20:32:47Z")

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😃 The trouble is that you rarely catch them in the act. I’ve only managed to do so once in three years.

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**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/24 "2011-05-31T20:43:36Z")

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> [@lisacurl](#):
>
> Once, when I was lucky enough to actually catch a poo-leaver in the act, I called out to them and offered them one of the bags I had for my dog, saying something like, “I saw that you had forgotten yours.” I’m usually not passive-aggressive, but it was so sweet to see the expression on that woman’s face. She did take the offered baggie and clean up the poop, though.

I seem to recall a Pit Rant about a similar situation - Was that you, **lisacurl**..?  
Poo bags are very light-weight. And they’re not very expensive. And many parks have stands where they have poo bags waiting for those who don’t have their own. Heck, I have bag dispensers attached to the ALL leads I have for my dogs (short, long, and _reaaaaaly_ long).

As an alternative to facing down Mr. Poo-Leaver, maybe the HOA would consider putting up a poo-bag station at the entrance to the area? Then you can simply step out where Mr. Poo-Leaver can see you, and point to the bag station.

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/25 "2011-05-31T20:45:29Z")

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That is just a brilliant idea. I’ll suggest it to him. And good gods, it’s not an HOA. It’s more of a cultural association. 🙂

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**Author:** ![lisacurl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/41988e/32.png) [@lisacurl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisacurl)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/26 "2011-05-31T20:46:10Z")

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I’m sure if there was a rant somewhere about dog owners who do not clean up after their dogs, I added my two-poop-bags-worth. 🙂

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**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/27 "2011-05-31T20:50:14Z")

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> [@Anaamika](#):
>
> That is just a brilliant idea. I’ll suggest it to him. And good gods, it’s not an HOA. It’s more of a cultural association. 🙂

Heh! OK, post the idea to the Loosely-Allied Residents of This Neighborhood Association, or whatever your cultural association goes by - Shouldn’t be very pricy to have a bag station set up, and may even settle the issue once and for all.  
Or maybe not.  
But it’s worth a try. 🙂

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**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/28 "2011-05-31T20:52:17Z")

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…

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/29 "2011-05-31T21:00:12Z")

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> [@Al\_Bundy](#):
>
> US Code Title 18
> 
> § 1705. Destruction of letter boxes or mail  
> Whoever willfully or maliciously injures, tears down or destroys any letter box or other receptacle intended or used for the receipt or delivery of mail on any mail route, or breaks open the same or willfully or maliciously injures, defaces or destroys any mail deposited therein, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than three years, or both.

As far as I know Anaamika isn’t in the US.

And I wasn’t being serious. (But if I were - I’d say she could probably get away with it)

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**Author:** ![AgentKeyserSoze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea666f/32.png) [@AgentKeyserSoze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AgentKeyserSoze)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/30 "2011-05-31T21:02:06Z")

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1. DITTO!

2. [http://www.pooprints.com/](http://www.pooprints.com/)

3. 3 strikes and you’re out (dog and owner). Dog is taken away and owner is jailed for 1 month.

P.S. What is it with old ladies and the glorified rats (I mean lap dogs) they tote around?! This is indicative of some much larger social issues America is suffering.

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**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/31 "2011-05-31T21:02:54Z")

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> [@Tranquilis](#):
>
> I seem to recall a Pit Rant about a similar situation - Was that you, **lisacurl**..?  
> Poo bags are very light-weight. And they’re not very expensive. And many parks have stands where they have poo bags waiting for those who don’t have their own. Heck, I have bag dispensers attached to the ALL leads I have for my dogs (short, long, and _reaaaaaly_ long).
> 
> As an alternative to facing down Mr. Poo-Leaver, maybe the HOA would consider putting up a poo-bag station at the entrance to the area? Then you can simply step out where Mr. Poo-Leaver can see you, and point to the bag station.

I am willing to put good money on Poo-Leaver reacting to that situation with profanity or something similar.

If a person is the kind of person to not pick up after their dog when there isn’t a ‘poo bag station’ nearby - I seriously doubt they are going to use it if there is one.

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**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/32 "2011-05-31T21:16:25Z")

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> [@Lobsang](#):
>
> I am willing to put good money on Poo-Leaver reacting to that situation with profanity or something similar.
> 
> If a person is the kind of person to not pick up after their dog when there isn’t a ‘poo bag station’ nearby - I seriously doubt they are going to use it if there is one.

_shrug_  
Possibly correct, but then again, maybe not - Generally, at least around here - if you call someone on unmannerly behavior, you may get an initial reaction of rejection, but you _also_ tend to find said folks not coming back around to repeat the behavior.

Anyway, it’s a fairly low-key start to correcting the problem. I usually find that low-key works pretty well in most places. Escallation remains available, as needed.

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**Author:** ![FrancisCastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@FrancisCastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FrancisCastle)\
**Post date:** [May 31, 2011, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/33 "2011-05-31T21:19:07Z")

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When I was young, our neighbors had a dog that they would just let roam the block all day. Many times my dad found dog poop on our front lawn (we did not have a dog at the time). After a few times asking the family to please come pick up the poo, he decided to just do it himself. Except instead of picking it up, he would use a shovel to fling it into the middle of their driveway. 😃 Sometimes it would sit there for a day or two before they finally picked it up!

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**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/34 "2011-06-01T04:52:33Z")

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How long has it been since dogs started shitting? How long has it been since people started whining about it? Seriously, whats the big deal? This is something new to me, and a by-law was recently passed around here about cleaning up your dogs shit, but when and why did it become such a big issue? For the most part this has to be some new fad because I have never heard of it until the last year. I guess pretty soon there will be a new government job picking up fox and coyote shit out of peoples yards.

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**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/35 "2011-06-01T05:12:26Z")

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> [@JFLuvly](#):
>
> How long has it been since dogs started shitting? How long has it been since people started whining about it? Seriously, whats the big deal?

Dunno about you, but it became a issue for me when I had to start mowing the area between the sidewalk and the street where everybody in the neighborhood lets their dogs do their business. But hey, if flying dog crap doesn’t bother you, you’re welcome to come over and do it.

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**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/36 "2011-06-01T05:22:07Z")

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> [@JFLuvly](#):
>
> How long has it been since dogs started shitting? How long has it been since people started whining about it? Seriously, whats the big deal? This is something new to me, and a by-law was recently passed around here about cleaning up your dogs shit, but when and why did it become such a big issue? For the most part this has to be some new fad because I have never heard of it until the last year. I guess pretty soon there will be a new government job picking up fox and coyote shit out of peoples yards.

Well, now I know I don’t have to clean my bathroom anymore. I’ll just come over to your house and take a dump in your yard. After all, what’s the big deal? Is there any difference between human and canine poop?

Many cities have had this for years. In 1983 I was is Chicago when they passed the “pick up your dog’s poop” law. You must not have a dog, or a yard where poop is dropped, or it would be a big deal to you.

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**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/37 "2011-06-01T06:00:35Z")

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This thread makes me really glad I live where I do. My dog does his business somewhere in my 1-acre fenced-in yard and I watch where I step. No problems.

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**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/38 "2011-06-01T12:55:04Z")

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> [@Lobsang](#):
>
> As far as I know Anaamika isn’t in the US.
> 
> And I wasn’t being serious. (But if I were - I’d say she could probably get away with it)

What?! I’ve been living in the States since I was four!

And to Jflyluvly, eew. It’s POOP. I don’t have a dog, I’d really rather not have poop in my yard and you bet your ass if it was in my yard I’d say something to the guy. I think it’s the opposite - how did it get Ok to let your animal POOP in someone else’s yard??

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**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/39 "2011-06-01T13:07:42Z")

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Mrs. J. and I are religious about picking up after Patience when she drops her loads during walks (one of the few things we are devout about).

But why can’t the damned Labrador wait until at least mid-walk to take a dump? As it is, she produces within 2 minutes after going outside and I am stuck carrying a poop-filled bag for the duration of the walk.

The animal is so regular, she should replace Jamie Lee Curtis in those yogurt ads.

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**Author:** ![Stan\_Shmenge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/94ad74/32.png) [@Stan\_Shmenge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stan_Shmenge)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2011, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/people-who-dont-clean-up-their-doggie-poop/583860/40 "2011-06-01T14:17:44Z")

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I was told the illegal aliens were here to do the jobs I didn’t want to do. Let them pick it up.

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