Be a good citizen — pick up after your dog
The best part of having a dog is picking up their poop, said no pet owner ever. The task is undoubtedly the only downside of dog ownership but it is an integral component to being a responsible pet owner. It is also a crucial factor in caring for your neighbourhood and the local community.
Most dog owners will collectively agree that picking up after their dogs is unavoidable. But a few owners do not clean up after their dogs, which results in ruining the reputation of all dog owners. The owners not picking up their dog's business say things such as, “It's organic, and the rain will wash it away.”
It is not organic; it is waste and needs to be disposed of properly. If your dog has parasites or is on medication, both are shed through the dog's waste. Leaving it on the ground can lead to making another dog sick.
Leaving your dog's business on the ground can also ruin a young family's walk. Small children may step in it, their bike may run over it or a stroller could get pushed through it. It can turn the most picturesque community into an unsightly neighbourhood. A handful of dog owners will even pick up the waste, tie the colourful bag off and then leave it on the street, hiking trail or local park, which is littering.
Please be a good citizen and pick up after your dog because it is the responsible thing to do and it is the law. Most municipalities across Atlantic Canada have bylaws to deal with dog waste and fines for those who do not comply.
One city in Canada, Toronto, announced this month they were launching a pilot project to encourage people to dispose of dog waste properly.
A news release from the city of Toronto states: “The City says the pilot is being launched after studies have shown a large collection of dog waste being disposed of in the trash. A spring 2020 audit identified 45 per cent of waste (by weight) in street litter bins as organic material and 99 per cent of that organic material as dog waste.”
“The goal of the pilot is to see if dog waste collection in street litter bins is feasible and can help the City divert more organic material from landfill.” Mayor John Tory says dog waste should never be put in the recycling and that any bag, including non-compostable, can be used for dog waste.
Let's keep our municipalities and neighbourhoods free from dog waste. Everyone should be able to enjoy local parks and simple walks around their districts.
Please be kind to animals.