Hi

I am absolutely disgusted by the level of dog fouling in Ilkley! My son is just learning to walk. This means that he frequently needs to sit down (sometimes even lie down) to have a rest after walking a few steps. So far, he hasn't chosen to do this in a pile of dog muck but it is only a matter of time!

I have also found that since having him, I frequently end up rolling the buggy through some. It makes a right smelly mess!

Has anyone else noticed how bad it is, or is it just me?

In Otley, they have launched a campaign called muck:up! which is specifically aimed at irresponsible dog owners who don't clear up after their dog. They've set up a website and an online petition if anyone is interested.

MM

There are some footpaths that are covered in it. Hillside Court to the Tarn and between the footbridge & Beanlands Parade are two particularly noxious routes.

The thing that disturbs me the most though is that this has been posted in the 'Eating out in Ilkley' section of the forum...

Elvis_Himselvis wrote:
There are some footpaths that are covered in it. Hillside Court to the Tarn and between the footbridge & Beanlands Parade are two particularly noxious routes.

The thing that disturbs me the most though is that this has been posted in the 'Eating out in Ilkley' section of the forum...

BWAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHHAAA!


On a more serious note: a public flogging, or perhaps shooting on sight for people whose let their dogs foul the paths.
Or perhaps take a leaf out of the old school dog training book - rub the owner's nose in **it.

Given the proliferation of camera 'phones, iPods and what not, why not just snap 'em in the act and post it up here (with the doggie's face obscured by a 1970s Readers' Wives-stylee black rectangle, of course)

(acknowleges Woza's facepalm)

You'd probably get arrested for infringing their human rights or something.

I completely agree - it really is disgusting. Have people seen what it's like on Valley Road off Valley Drive?! There are signs up but it doesn't seem to be doing anything...

Mayfield/Railway Road, between the station steps and Little Lane, is another offender. I regularly walk down there with my children and have to avoid new piles of poo on a daily basis. Revolting!

I used to urge arming dog wardens with captive bolt killers, but that was never going to happen. Photographing the dog and the owner though might work. Following them home and posting it through the letterbox would be more dramatic, but potentially more fraught.

Er..... posting exactly what through the letter box, Bradwan? Forget the photo, I think you're on to something here that seems like poetic justice!

Just out of interest, does anyone ever complain about horse muck on the ground or is that alright?

bristol bumpkin wrote:
Just out of interest, does anyone ever complain about horse muck on the ground or is that alright?

That's a really intersting one, BB, and widens the debate somewhat. I guess that the question is "am I / will my toddler tread in this?" and, as horse droppings (droppings vs sh+???) are usually in the road, then it's a no brainer.

Or is it? A rose by any other name (in reverse?)

It's still poo. The practicalities aside (dismount/make nag safe and secure/scoop up and stow poo/re-mount) it shouldn't really be left lying around, but it seems to be more of a matter of perception. Riders carry on while their mount purges just as (some) dog owners look the other way.

Bottom line*...horse riders go out for a hack and neddy may or may not purge. Doggies get taken for a walk. Hack is not a euphamism - walk is.

*

Horses go in the road - yes totally agree, however, when I took my dog for a walk back in the 70's, (wow) it was 'normal' for the dog to do his/her business in the gutter, but would that be acceptable now? after all it's not on the pavement and it is quite considerably less faeces than a horse and of course who naturally walks in the gutter when they are sober??

Ahh well, back to the Peroni

Horse p00 is not as obnoxious (and indeed unhealthy) as dog p00. And yes, it's not on the pavement.

If dog owners were to have their dogs cr4p in the gutter, or out of the way where people don't walk, that would be a definite improvement .

a firm stool is easier to pick up than the runny stuff, that just gets smeared into the ground. The cold weather freezes a stool rapidly and it's removal is far easier, whatever the consistancy. Diet is the key to easy extraction.

Chewing gum is also an issue.


edit/ Just had a thought! Is the phrase "kick it(him?) to the kerb" which seemed to come into common useage in the Oprah era a reference to relocating the matter frome pavement to the gutter?

Reading through this thread, with its mix of disgust, debate and grim humour I can't help but feel that we've been here before...

It is equaly clear that, as some dog owners have (in this context, at least) little respect for others, it is up to everyone else - us - to do something about it. Of course there are risks attached to that; a mouthfull of abuse or worse, but it's a case either of getting involved or letting it slide.

So, as well as using this thread to air our displeasure and frustration, let's use it as a channel to celebrate our successes - might even give the Gazbag something (else) to write about.

(Got my positive head on )