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The Poop Bag Pile-Up

I don’t know what to think when I see poop bags piling up at the fence corner where the garbage can used to be. Do people think there’s still a garbage removal service? Are they leaving the bags there with the intention of coming back later–and then forgetting? Or do they just not think?

I want to believe that most people are basically good-hearted. After all, we come to the park for the benefit of our dogs. That’s a selfless act, isn’t it? So I’ll try to say this without condemning anyone, because I think this is a matter of education, not character:

Please please please don’t leave your poop bag for someone else to pick up.

  1. We have no pickup service anymore. That’s why there’s no longer any garbage can or black plastic bags at the fence corner. You are responsible for taking your dog’s poop out of the park.
  2. At the very least, if you really do intend to leave it for someone else (or if you mean to take it with you but there’s a chance you might forget it), hang it on the fence. Poop bags left on the ground will get peed on, and then the Good Samaritan who comes along later to clean up after you has to pick up urine-soaked bags. YUCK.

When someone picks up the litter others left behind, it’s an unselfish gesture. Surely no dog owner is so small of heart that they would deliberately take advantage of it again and again and again. Right?

Thank you for helping keep the park clean. The airport has generously allowed us to use their property for the enjoyment of our dogs. Removing our litter, as MAC has requested of us, is the least we can do.

Posted by Devon & Chaz on Saturday, February 10th, 2007 at 1:04 pm.

7 Responses to “The Poop Bag Pile-Up”

I still can ‘t believe that people are leaving their poop bags at the gate. I wonder if they do this at their homes?

Left by Dawn on February 15th, 2007

I think besides disposing of poop that makes it into a bag, we all have to keep our eyes open to “help” people get their dog’s poop into a bag to start with.

Admittedly, considering all the dogs who use the park and the numbers of neglected piles, most people must be picking up, but there are always those that get missed.

Remind people to keep an eye on their dogs so they can see if they poop and where.

If it is dark, bring a flash light to better find the poop.

At the very least, if you can’t find your dog’s pile, do the pop exchange and pick up an orphaned one instead.

Always bring extra bags, you never know when you might have to offer one to a stranger.

If you see an unattended dog “do the deed”, look around for the negligent owner and enlighten them.

Left by jknorton on February 15th, 2007

Good points, you guys. I’m dismayed by how many piles there are out there right now. Yet I rarely see people deliberately ignoring it when their dog poops. I wonder if most of the piles I’m seeing out in the open field are from dogs pooping in the night far from their owners.

Left by Devon & Chaz on February 15th, 2007

I have been going to this park for about 10 years, and the best it has ever been poop wise was when saint Justin picked it up. I really like the idea of setting up a pick up service through paypal donations-I think most folks who go there would be willing to contribute. More people pick up when there is a place to put it. Almost every time I’m there I pick up extra orphan poop, but it doesn’t seem to make a dent! And I do see people on a regular basis who don’t pick up after their dog-sometimes I go up to them and ask if they “need a bag”… I wonder what it costs to have a dumpster with weekly service? Maybe we could organize a committee to talk to the MAC about the issue…

Left by claire wright on February 17th, 2007

That’s a good idea, Claire. I’d like to find out what MAC will allow. Someone at the park told me that they don’t want a garbage can on the grounds–they want us to take our litter individually when we leave the park.

If that’s just a rumor and MAC is amenable to garbage service, then there are a number of ways we could pay for it. We could ask for donations through PayPal, and we could also try to get some businesses to sponsor it. We could place a sign by the garbage can, and they could have an ad on this site, too.

I’d be glad to be on the committee that speaks with them. Who else would like to volunteer?

Left by Devon & Chaz on February 17th, 2007

I’d certainly be willing to chip in for garbage pick up. I come to this park mostly during the winter months while swimming isn’t an option. For a while there were some garbage cans…was someone just personally being kind and doing this? And now MAC doesn’t want us to have them?

Left by Heather on February 26th, 2007

@Heather,
One of the other owners (Justin) had been taking the garbage away for us, but he isn’t doing it anymore. I haven’t heard from him exactly why. It isn’t clear either whether MAC would let us have a garbage can or not. We need to have a sit-down with them.

Left by Devon & Chaz on February 26th, 2007

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