Dog poo patroller to add video camera to arsenal
Leanne McKay’s poo crusade continues.
Her poo protest in March, which drew attention to all the left-behind dog feces in her neighbourhood’s Patricia Park, was not a one-off.
She is planning poo patrol parties for her neighbourhood, Coronation Park, and Regent Park, and has started a GoFundMe campaign to help fund the events.
The fundraiser is because “I’m just a single, widowed, retired grandma. I’m doing this because I know it’s important,” said McKay.
In March, McKay flagged 190 piles of dog doo in a park near her house. The problem persists.
With her venture into social media, she hopes to educate dog owners. Her aim is to reward responsible dog walkers who pick up after their pets.
She also plans to photograph and take video of offending dog walkers, to deliver proof to animal enforcement officers and elicit a fine.
She said the city’s fines for people who don’t pick up after their pets should be raised: The current $100 is too easy for people to brush off; it should be raised to $1,000, so people will take it more seriously, she says.
There is also a problem with enforcement, she said — you have to catch people in the act.
Just Thursday morning, McKay saw a lady walking a dog that defecated in the park.
“When I confronted her about it, she just looked at me stunned and kept walking,” said McKay.
On Wednesday, she saw a professional dog walker leave a mess on the sidewalk.
When McKay offered a plastic bag, the reply was, “Oh, you can get it.”
Sometimes when she offers a bag, it’s a more aggressive response: “’Expletive, crazy old lady, get a life,’ usually. Or ‘How about I turn my dog loose on you?’ ” said McKay.
There have been people who commend her for her advocacy, though.
“It’s not just an esthetic issue and because I have nothing better to do with my time,” said McKay, who likes dogs but dislikes their messes. “It’s because it’s a really dangerous and serious thing.”
She said dog feces can pose a health risk to people and to other dogs, if it’s infected with Parvovirus or other parasites.
Those parasites and bacteria can make their way into the water system, said McKay.
“They’re risking lives; they’re risking our water supplies,” said McKay.
Bill Thorn of the Regina Humane Society, which enforces the City of Regina’s animal bylaws, agreed.
“This could cause health issues should that water be untreated and consumed by animals or humans,” said Thorn.
That argument is extreme, said University of Regina biology professor Mark Brigham, who studies animal ecology.
Though Brigham, a dog owner himself, believes in picking up after his dog in public places, dog feces is no different than the waste of geese or cats or humans, he said. The toxins would be filtered out in the water treatment process.