Sunday, January 29, 2012

Dog Poop Insurance

You have to hand it to the Japanese. They can see entertainment and business in every aspect of life - including dog fouling AND red rubber bands.

Remember the trussed up contestant from Japan's Got Talent ?

Or their wonderful version of Russian Roulette using only dog shit, a foot and a shoe ?

And who could ever forget a visit to the Himeji Poop Museum ?

A brilliant people with a talent for spotting opportunity, and they have done it again!!!

Stepping in dog poop is part of life. Its not a nice part of life, but it happens and we have to get on with it.

But the folks at Sneaker Freaker know all too well about dog poop, particularly when you get it on your sneakers (US) or trainers (UK). So to appease the masses, they are considering introducing dog poop insurance. 


After you have paid a one off payment, you are covered. If you step in dog poop in your trainers and it covers 5 square centimetres of the sole, then you will be provided with the money to buy a new pair. Simple!!

I know you are all as keen as me to sign up right now - but there is a catch. They need 100,000 people to vote for the idea before they will consider it financially viable and make the insurance product available to the general public.

So my plea to you is watch the sales video and then submit your vote here and make this insurance product available to dog shit sufferers world wide. :-)


Saturday, January 28, 2012

"I don't pick up my dog's poop"



We received the following anonymous email today - it was simply entitled "I don't pick up my dog's poop".


I like the honesty and it reminds me of the Scottish reader who also admitted to us that he didn't "pick up his dog's turds".


Is anonymous a responsible citizen ? I think not. If we listen to his logic then there is no need for small companies to clean up the toxic waste they produce - after all, most companies do clean up their toxic waste and what does a little amount of toxic waste really matter!!

**********************************************************************************************
Sir,

Mostly, I'm a responsible citizen. I pay my parking tickets, my taxes and my library fines. But for some reason, I just can't bring myself to pick up my dog's poop. 

It just doesn't seem like a very big deal to me; a few turds in the grass by the side of the road doesn't hurt anyone, now does it? If it's right smack in the middle of the pavement, well, yes, that's a different story, but even then... I sometimes don't have a bag with me. 

I know what you're saying to yourself. You're saying, "If everyone thought like you, we'd have giant mountains of dogshit on every corner!" True, but everyone doesn't think like me. 

Most people do pick up their dog's shit, and for that reason, my dog's shit is of little matter. So if you've stepped on some dogshit and you live in the North East, there's a likely chance it came from my dog. 

And I'm sorry... but not that sorry!

--Anonymous 

Friday, January 27, 2012

Reward your man for a job well done.

With tongue firmly in cheek, Greene King IPA's recent national marketing campaign has again shown us how dog fouling has been accepted into everyday life.

The campaign was aimed at "rewarding" men with a proper pint for doing those "arduous" tasks they make such a big deal about. 

Clearing up dog mess from the lawn is one of them ...



Maybe if we gave a pint to all those that picked up after their dog then shit on our streets would become a thing of the past ? 

Only a thought 

:-)

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Oooogh my back is killing me ...

Brought to you by the same people that gave us those unique Xmas decorations ...

How to cure a bad back :-)


Thursday, January 19, 2012

Ireland - How Does It Stay Afloat?

Personally speaking, I love Ireland, North and South. The people are warm and friendly and the scenery stunning. We all know that Ireland has had a troubled history and we are now moving into an era of peace, which reflects the wonderful nature of the people of the Emerald Isle.

Now that the troubles are behind us, can the various parties and communities unite? While we have no interest in politics, I have to express my pleasure that the political parties appear to be coming together to combat dog fouling. It appears that Ireland is sinking under the weight of excrement flowing in its streets.

We have already seen how Cllr P J McAvoy of the SDLP has hit out at dog fouling in Ballymena. Our article can be seen here. P J's stand made me wonder if this has become a cross party issue in Ireland. I wasn't disappointed, it certainly has evolved as we might have hoped!



As far back as October 2010, Portadown Sinn Fein councillor Brian McKeow was calling for the erection of more dog fouling bins along the Moy, Drumanphy and Derrylettiff roads. Brian surveyed the area and was "surprised at the amount of discarded litter and dog foulings".





For the Ulster Unionist Party, this is very much a current issue. The Londonderry Sentinel reports (on the day of this post) that UUP in Londonderry say they have been contacted in recent days by residents in Newbuildings regarding the on-going problem of dog- fouling in the village. Local Party Vice-chairman Ronnie Mc Keegan, who is also a resident in the area, said this problem must be dealt with once and for all.


The Alliance Party does not want to be left out of this fouling furore. Cllr Tony Hill, North Down: Bangor West, includes on his profile: I support efforts to reduce the level of litter and dog fouling in our streets. Dog owners must be encouraged to clean up after their pets. I welcome impending new legislation which will allow Councils impose stricter controls on offenders.



Lastly, in the North, the DUP will not be left out of the race. Speaking at last Monday night’s monthly meeting of Craigavon Borough Council, DUP Alderman Stephen Moutray described dog fouling as a “deplorable practice”.“Along with Belfast, we are the most pro active council in Northern Ireland when it comes to this issue,” said Alderman Moutray. That is, indeed, good to hear! Article here.


I couldn't end this post without slipping over into the South. Mayo Fine Gael County Councillor Seamus Weir has challenged a person to come up with a device to harness dog fouling similar to the dung catching devices for horses in Killarney. As Seamus puts it, "The public are so annoyed with dog fouling and we as a forum should look to someone to come up with a dog harness to capture the fouling. I would prefer them carrying it than me having to carry it. It might sound silly but if someone comes up with the idea they could make millions". Come on Seamus, if you care so much why haven't you read this blog? These devices were invented long ago. Get with us and get with it!

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Signs In Essex - That'll Stop Them!

Many thanks to our Essex followers for bringing the issue of home made signs to our attention. As far back as November 2010, the Friends of Concord Beach were producing their own anti-fouling signs. A good example is shown above. It has to be said that this sign is amusing and might strike a chord with some dog walkers. Article here.

Clearly, the streets of Essex are still running with excrement. Councillors Beverley Davies and Sue Lissimore have taken up the Essex theme of producing their own signs.

I have always held to the view that, if there is an existing model, feel free to borrow it with pride (plagiarise!). Beverley and Sue clearly don't follow this line of thinking as they have come up with a new sign. As you can see below, their home-made sign has all the impact that a mass of words on a piece of paper can have. I really can't imagine anyone taking the time to read it. That said, at least it will give younger dog walkers something, upon which they can practice their graffiti.

The best part of the picture is Sue's dog, which appears to be plaintively looking at Sue saying "mummy, can I please be excused"?

Let's hope that Sue and Beverley are better at politics than they are at sign writing. That said, we thank them for joining the fight.

Article here.

Friday, January 13, 2012

Cornwall Again - I'm Surprised It Doesn't Sink Under The Weight!

Many of our devoted followers will be aware that Cornwall has featured on this site more than once. As far back as April 2009, I featured an overflowing dog waste bin in my home village. You can relive that post here. This bin has been replaced and there appears to have been an improvement in the emptying regime.

As, however, we are all aware, for every "Ying" there is a "Yang". As one bin closes, another one opens! No more than 3 minutes walk from the location of the bin pictured in the link above is the bin pictured below. I particularly like the bags hanging from the handle. Is it any wonder that the surrounding streets are awash? I think not!



I leave the last word to some local youths, who have put some stickers on the sign on the pole above the bin.



Given the state of the local streets, they'll be kicking more than "ass"!

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Dog Fouling v Horse Dung - The Battle Continues



This blog has already highlighted the issue of horse fouling v dog faeces, see here.

While information and advice from our followers is always welcome, there is nothing like first hand experience. I am currently on holiday in Cornwall. I don't like to give away specific locations but, Trevaunance Road, you know where you are!

As the sun was shining, I decided to go for a walk. I had to stand out of the way of a large horse as it lumbered towards me. A few feet away, I saw that it had left a significant deposit on the road. I wouldn't normally photograph horse dung (well, OK, I might on a slow day) but this was essential viewing for this blog.

The above picture not only shows a significant pile of horse dung but, if you look to the left of the shadow of my shoulder as you look at it, you will also be able to make out a not insignificant pile of dog excrement lying just by the small grass verge.

The horse dung is directly opposite the entrance to a private dwelling.

If nothing else, this post is here to say: "bad luck"!

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Calderdale-Halifax Central - There Is No Hope!


Over the years, I have formed a theory that dog fouling has a greater impact on our everyday lives than burglary or robbery.

This is because, even when burglary was at its height in the seventies, each of us was only likely to be burgled once every 40 years. That's now more likely to be every 50 or so.

There is, however, a confusing message coming out of Claderdale-Halifax Central ward. The crime map shows that this ward has an average crime rate with 599 total crimes in November 2011. I would, therefore, according to my theory, expect to see a wave of complaints about dog fouling.

The Halifax Courier confirms my theory by telling us that, in 2011, Calderdale council received nearly 700 complaints about dog fouling. Up to this point, my theory holds.

I did, however, throw my theory out of the window at the fact that one in six pet owners believe that you should not have to clean up after your dog!

Imagine one in six dogs allowed to foul the streets without any cleaning taking place! Actually, not hard as five out of six cleaning up would probably be something of an exception anyway!

I can only really conclude that we are a long way from solving this problem. Perhaps we just feel that cleaning our carpets is an inevitable part of modern life? I don't know.

I do know that nobody wants it through their letter box!

Monday, January 09, 2012

Cllr P J McAvoy, Dog Fouling and Darkness


Ballymena Councillor MacAvoy, or "PJ" as he is affectionately known, is no stranger to trauma. In 2007 he was hospitalised for four days after being bitten by a mosquito. This was less than a year after he was forced to stay in hospital for 52 days after being struck down by a flesh eating bug!

Here at Dog Fouling and Red Rubber Bands, we are pleased to see that he is well and working for the people of Ballymena! This work now involves an attack on dog fouling. In launching his attack, PJ hits on two issues, which are well known on this blog.

CCTV has frequently featured in our reports. Indeed, references are too numerous to list here. One issue has been the proportionality of using CCTV to combat dog fouling. PJ has no qualms and is with us in a solid desire to eradicate dog fouling. As PJ puts it: "I have no hesitation in asking the town centre CCTV to monitor this problem".

The second issue is the darkness of winter. We recently saw that there has been an outbreak of dog fouling in Shetland as a result of the dark nights, see here, PJ reports that this appears to be happening in the early morning and late at night.

Once again, we see how dog fouling has universal causes and a steady, universal reaction. Full details can be read on the Belfast Telegraph here.

Perhaps we shouldn't be surprised. As far back as 2006, Ballymena dog warden Nigel Devine revealed that dog fouling is seasonally affected. Nigel had even seen people pretending to clean up after their dogs as cars passed but, once they believed that they were no longer being observed, they simply walked on. Ballymena Times; "Poop in the Dark".

We can comfort ourselves with Nigel's closing observation from 2006: "They will have nowhere to hide come the brighter evenings".

Thursday, January 05, 2012

Cllr Slaughter - Fighting For A Cleaner Village!


Mr Bev Slaughter, vice chair of Bere Ferrers Parish Council in Devon, has thrown his weight firmly behind the issue of dog fouling.
Bev runs his own blog (good man, we need more!). He clearly loves his village and has this beautiful picture for all to see (I hope he won't mind me reproducing it here):


Bev has written about dog fouling in a local publication. I can understand why. How would the above picture look if the crisp, white snow were to be pebble dashed with an obtrusive smattering of dog faeces? Not very appealing I can well surmise!

A special council meeting has been called in the parish hall at 7.30pm on Tuesday 10 January at 7.30pm. I am, however, a bit confused. While the council is clear that the meeting is 10 January, see here, Bev states that it is on 10 April, see here.
That small issue aside, Bev makes the following point: "Currently, there is some friction between certain members of the Bere Alston United Football Club and some residents about dog poo on the pitch. The Chairman of the club, Mr Will Westlake, recently presented some disgusting photographs at Council that had been taken on the pitch, all featuring dog faeces". If only the club website or Bev's blog could feature these pictures! After all a picture paints a thousand fouled pairs of soccer boots!

As Bev puts it: Dog Fouling: It's Time To Clean Up!

I urge all parishoners to be at this meeting on 10 January and work towards a "Faeces Free Ferrers"!

Monday, January 02, 2012

The Dicky Bag




The dicky bag is a fine invention, similar in many ways to other items featured on this blog. It is made in Cornwall, which has featured on this blog on a number of occasions.

Today is 2 January. We are still just within the Festive Season. Therefore, there is time left to enjoy this festive advertisement. If it encourages one person to pick up, then it was worth the making!

Sunday, January 01, 2012

Horse Dung v Dog Faeces - Is The Fight Widening?


On New Year's day, I thought I would take the time to look back over the year and see if there are any gems of wisdom, which we might have missed.

This information has just come in from one of our avid followers. Although it relates to issues from a few months ago, it gives us the opportunity to think about the broader issues of fouling in general. We owe this mind expanding experience to councillor Isobel McCall of Campbell Park Ward, Milton Keynes council.

Isobel raises a very serious issue, that of street and pavement fouling by horses. In August, with burglary, criminal damage, violence and drug offences in Milton Keynes exceeding the national average, Isobel felt the need to contact the local police asking what they propose to do about police horses depositing manure on the streets.

Isobel also shows that she is not unaware of the dog fouling issue when she states the following: "I have contacted the police and suggested that the horses wear bags to catch the excrement, but the idea has been 'poo-pooed' for 'operational' reasons," she said.

"Surely they could be used when the horses are just out exercising, or the police officers could pick up the manure?

"If you drop a cigarette end or a crisp packet on the footpath or allow your dog to foul the path you can be fined, but a police horse is allowed to make a huge mess and the public are expected to accept this."

Has Isobel been looking at the many devices advertised on this site? Let's be fair, if you can fit a bag on your dog, why not your horse?

The reply from Thames Valley Police is also very telling: "Legislation places no restrictions on horse manure as compared to dog mess as the by-product is considered benign, hence the reason it is sold untreated to gardeners."

From my perspective, this all just goes to show how dog (and possibly other) fouling must be seen as a crime and dealt with as such. I will close by looking at Isobel's observation as follows: Ms McCall said many people were having trouble getting around the piles, especially those in wheelchairs, cyclists and people with children and pushchairs.

I think this is another reason why horse fouling will never take off as a major issue. Let's face it, even I can spot a pile of horse dung at 10 yards (in the dark!). There is no such luck with dog faeces. I have never walked horse dung onto my carpet, how many of our readers can say the same regarding dog mess?

Please read the full article here.

Many thanks to our avid follower and supporter, MK, for bringing this matter to our attention.

 
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