The Wonder of Dogs 7-5
Clean up after pups on public land
Taking a walk in the woods just ain’t what it used to be.
These days, it’s not just goose and deer droppings that cause us to watch where we walk, but multiple piles of dog excrement, as well.
Being a responsible dog owner means that we dog lovers must actively preserve and protect the environments that we enjoy.
By not cleaning up after our pets, we often lose the privilege — that’s privilege, not inalienable right — to allow our dogs access to public land.
Most parks, fields and woods, do not have “Clean up after your dog” signs hanging up or posted. Fines are rarely administered to pet owners who leave a dog’s droppings behind for others to deal with. It’s also very rare that bags or trash cans are provided to make cleanup easier.
Dog owners need to carry their own supplies and wait for the proper container in which to dispose of them.
This is not a great hardship. After all, the pleasure we get from these lovely locations outweighs the minor annoyance we might feel about making an effort to keep them in pristine condition.
We don’t want to have our dogs banned from fields, parks and playgrounds.
People whose children play in these areas or who are non-dog-owners and use public land for personal enjoyment may not feel the same.
Please be responsible and show consideration for the people and puppies who will follow in your footsteps. Other pet owners will likely clean up after their dogs if they see someone else who cares enough to do the same.
Clean up after your own dog and, whenever possible, pick up after more careless owners, too.
You will be preserving both the environment and the privilege of being allowed to enjoy it with our pets.
Barbara Kahn is the training director at WonderDogs, Inc. E-mail her, with “Trend” in the subject line, at barb@wonderdogs.com, call 856-767-6464 or visit www.wonderdogs.com.
These days, it’s not just goose and deer droppings that cause us to watch where we walk, but multiple piles of dog excrement, as well.
Being a responsible dog owner means that we dog lovers must actively preserve and protect the environments that we enjoy.
By not cleaning up after our pets, we often lose the privilege — that’s privilege, not inalienable right — to allow our dogs access to public land.
Most parks, fields and woods, do not have “Clean up after your dog” signs hanging up or posted. Fines are rarely administered to pet owners who leave a dog’s droppings behind for others to deal with. It’s also very rare that bags or trash cans are provided to make cleanup easier.
Dog owners need to carry their own supplies and wait for the proper container in which to dispose of them.
This is not a great hardship. After all, the pleasure we get from these lovely locations outweighs the minor annoyance we might feel about making an effort to keep them in pristine condition.
We don’t want to have our dogs banned from fields, parks and playgrounds.
People whose children play in these areas or who are non-dog-owners and use public land for personal enjoyment may not feel the same.
Please be responsible and show consideration for the people and puppies who will follow in your footsteps. Other pet owners will likely clean up after their dogs if they see someone else who cares enough to do the same.
Clean up after your own dog and, whenever possible, pick up after more careless owners, too.
You will be preserving both the environment and the privilege of being allowed to enjoy it with our pets.
Barbara Kahn is the training director at WonderDogs, Inc. E-mail her, with “Trend” in the subject line, at barb@wonderdogs.com, call 856-767-6464 or visit www.wonderdogs.com.
