Are you a victim of wrong footing on dog poop, while walking on a footpath? Well, you are not alone; this is the nightmare of every Bangalorean, who like me prefers to walk on the pavement, which is made for pedestrians and not for dogs to answer their morning call. One pleasant morning I decide to walk to work and my first encounter is footpaths dotted with dog excrement and I like many other pedestrians is forced to play snakes and ladders while walking. I am not blaming dogs for relieving themselves; neither do I want to punish them for this. But I can’t forgive the dog owners, who bring them out to do their job on the pavements.
I don’t own a dog, I don’t hate them either, but why am I forced to see and dodge poop on every pavement I walk on? Why can’t dog owners carry the poop in a plastic bag and dispose it rather than leaving it for unfortunate people like me who have to start their day with these ugly sights? This might seem unachievable considering our inclination for cleanliness. But I am not kidding, outside India dog owners usually carry a plastic glove and scoop to remove dog poop when they take their dogs for a walk. I don’t think I am asking too much from pet owners, who love their dogs, to dispose poop their pets produce while they take them for a walk. It is easy just carry a plastic bag whenever you take your dog for a walk.
I am not telling pet owners to train their dogs to use the restroom or stop taking them for a walk on the pavement. I am just asking them to become more responsible and give a thought for poor pedestrians like me. If you can own a dog and take good care of them, why can’t you take responsibility for the poop they produce? I know there is no law in India that prohibits a dog from using a pavement or mandates the dog owner to carry that poop in a plastic bag. But I am sure if dog owners would give it a thought then Bangalore’s pavements would be much cleaner. Instructions on how to pick dog poop here.
Supriya, I guess we need to mend the humans first before targeting the dogs!! I use the service road beside Anand Rao circle flyover which connects Malleswaram to the bridge.. And I call this ‘Pyramid Street’. I guess even dogs might avoid walking on this particular stretch!!
Many dog owners take their dogs out purely because they want as little mess in their compound as possible. That’s what it looks like, anyway!
That kind won’t worry about this. People who really care how the city looks would be doing something about this already, don’t you think?
I agree with Supriya. I am a dog owner too and I try my best to clean up after the dog. But the problem is there are hardly any garbage bins anywhere in the residential areas to dispose off the poop when you are on a walk. I have grown up in Bangalore and I remember there used to be concrete garbage bin on every street. But now I see garbage strewn all over the footpath and street. Even a small city like Shimla has big garbage bins and mechanized garbage trucks that pick up the bins.When will our BMP learn???
I agree with Supriya. I am a dog owner too (very recently) and also add little mess to the environment. However, I make sure that my dog is not doing it on the pavements. If she does, I scoop it and throw it somewhere else. But the problem is, throwing somewhere else is not a solution either. It is still contaminating our environment. I would really like to know (from the experienced dog owners of Bangalore) what could be the best solution for this. Any suggestions?