Picking Up After Your Pooch

The other day, one of my students stepped in dog poop. Naturally, it became the topic of discussion for the next 10 minutes. I sent the student to the bathroom to get some paper towels to wipe off his sneaker, then tried to turn the discussion to pet owner responsibility.

The discussion soon ended (it was clearly not as interesting as dog do on a fellow classmate's sneaker). One comment stood out, though, among my students with dogs:

"I never pick up the dog do when I walk my dog. That's gross!"

I reprimanded: "Hey, it's gross when innocent people step in it, too!"

More than gross, it's unsanitary. It can infect other animals and humans with viruses, play host to insects that then infect others and ruin the aesthetics of lovely parks.

Look up Runyon Canyon on the review site Yelp, for instance. Most comments, even those from adamant fans of the place, mention the terrible smell on hot days.

I went for a walk Monday in our local park, Fryman Canyon. If you go to Yelp and look up Fryman you find nothing, because the initial area is known as Wilacre Park. Still, there is next to nothing about dog poop. I remembered the first part of the hike to have quite a problem. The smell was awful but it became more pleasant higher on the trail.

I took footage of the droppings I found on the way to the trail and up the trail, then caught an offender on tape on the way down. Interesting—be sure to see her on video and give her a call if you recognize her—she carried a water bottle and a leash, but not a bag to pick up after her dog.

You can be fined for not having a "means to remove the excrement." You must have a bag or shovel and container.

The rain has washed away the smell, but a lot of poop remains for a quarter-mile up to the entrance of the trail, and along it for several hundred yards. When the sun comes back, so will the odor. Please think of others when your dog relieves itself!

You can be fined for not having a "means to remove the excrement." You must have a bag or shovel and container.

Our school's front lawn has also become more and more a target for lazy pet owners. Staff and students spend part of their day removing waste that should have been removed by the pet owners.

In some cities, penalties and fees for not scooping up after one's dog are quite severe. In Beverly Hills, it is set as high as $1,000 for not scooping. Hermosa Beach is adopting a similar penalty. I don't believe in legislating everything, but when a community stops thinking and acting like a community, enforcement of the law might help.

Maybe we should begin a "scat cam" located at entrances and exits from Fryman!

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