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View Full Version : On the streets (and on your shoes)



mareng
04-Apr-05, 15:24
I had the previous thread edited so here goes with a more "sanitised" version:

As an occasional visitor to Caithness, I was amazed and disgusted by the amounts of animal excrement on the streets of Thurso. I don't know if Wick is similarly afflicted, but I can't help thinking that the locals no longer notice it.

All those that criticise Lorraine Mann for some perceived harm that she may cause the Caithness tourism industry should watch where they put their feet (literally) - This is one sure-fire way of detering repeat tourism.

Go on - when you are out and about this week, take a close look :eek: (but not too close).

The Pepsi Challenge
04-Apr-05, 16:13
Anyone who has walked acorss Thurso' Ellan Bridge will attest. We used to call it "dodge the dog doo". Haven't walked across the bridge in a few years, but I guess it's a 'game' many still play.

colmac
04-Apr-05, 16:23
I quite agree about all the dog poo around Thurso streets! When my kids were wee I would say "Watch your feet" and they automatically looked around for the dog poo. There is also a street we frequently walked on to get down the town and we re-named it "Poop Lane" I must say though that I haven't found Thurso to be too bad lately poo-wise. I think dog owners are cleaning up for their pets quite alot lately.

lassieinfife
04-Apr-05, 19:05
Although I dont stay in Caithness the problem is nation wide and I personally think if owners cant clean up after their dogs then they not fit to be dog owners let alone members of human race, If caught dogs should be rehomed and owners shot at daybreak :p

[disgust] ok that maybe a wee bit strong but I hate cleaning poo of my shoes :(

mareng
04-Apr-05, 19:15
Although I dont stay in Caithness the problem is nation wide and I personally think if owners cant clean up after their dogs then they not fit to be dog owners let alone members of human race, If caught dogs should be rehomed and owners shot at daybreak :p

[disgust] ok that maybe a wee bit strong but I hate cleaning poo of my shoes :(

I don't think the problem is as bad elsewhere - otherwise the state of the roads in Thurso wouldn't have attracted my attention.

Perhaps Nirex could build a depository for it all ;) ?

lassieinfife
04-Apr-05, 20:39
How can you be so sure that the problem is not as bad if not worse in other parts of Scotland which probbibly have a larger population of dogs and in many cases ... though I must add not all.. their unthinking owners who must take the blame ,a dog will do what a dog will do.
I have lived in many parts of Scotland and in rest of uk the problem is one that needs to be tackled but dont think Thurso is any worse than anywhere else......... might it not be that most of the posters here come from Thurso/wick area so post slightly bias ???? [disgust]

myname1
05-Apr-05, 00:12
The problem is quite bad in the ormlie area...you have to watch your step everywhere...especially the bit with the wall, before you turn right to go to the shop!

ŠAmethyst
05-Apr-05, 01:06
I have a dog, but I don't remember the last time he pooped in Thurso during a walk in town with me (as I don't like leaving him home alone for too long... he might just throw a party while I'm out - hehe). I was really annoyed this evening walking outside the Royal to meet some friends - noticed dog poo last minute and had to practically hop over it. That could have been disasterous - long jeans and dog poo don't mix v well.

But what I don't understand is how the council enforce the dog fouling acty thingy they have signs for. Does someone have to report it to them? Or do they do something else?

katarina
05-Apr-05, 08:57
It's the same in wick - absolutely disgusting! And since i can't remeber the last time I saw an unacompanied dog roaming around, I can only assume that the owners stand and wait while the dog does his business. I have a dog but always take my poop-scoop with me, as does other members of my family. On visits to Canada and the US, I was impressed by the lack of dog mess and litter on the streets. There is a immediate fine for causing either and it is implemented, whereas in this country the notices are simply ignored. If this law was enforced even a little, maybe we too could have a cleaner enviroment.
Even on our walking areas, the council have gone to the trouble of providing bins and plastic bags, but by the state of the paths very few people actually use them.
I must admit though, I've never actually seen a dog in the act - if I did I would most certainly report it.

Alli
05-Apr-05, 10:10
About a month ago I wrote into the groat saying how disgusted I was at having to wash my sons trainers three times in 10 days. I was fuming. We have a patch a grass outside our house and the amount of dog mess there is unbelievable. I have been on to the council and today I have sent a letter to my M.P to see if they can be of any assistance. I am up against a brick wall I think, as the owners who let their animal foul are very ignorant. I have nothing against people having dogs but what I object to is continually having to clean shoes, trainers, jeans, carpets etc. If I were to go and foul on their doorstep I would get prosecuted for doing so. So it's about time the dog warden was SEEN to be doing his job.

greeneyes
05-Apr-05, 11:50
Its the same in Castletown on your way down to the beach by Stanergill its a case of having your eyes glued to the path and what really annoys me is that a good bit of it is always right at the egde of the wall and if you walk there you will know the path is very narrow so you have to keep in to the edge.

Also,sometimes the poo can be very bad outside the primary school,now anyone will know that of course there will be lots of kids walking here but do they care?.

~~Tides~~
05-Apr-05, 13:40
Someone should patent a kind of horse bag, for dogs rear ends. They would make a fortune.

champagnebaby
05-Apr-05, 13:48
Someone should patent a kind of horse bag, for dogs rear ends. They would make a fortune.

Maybe somebody could start making nappies for dogs, be bonnie n funny seeing dogs going about wey nappies [lol] Then again don't fancy wiping it's bum if the poo's all stuck in the hair!

Alli
05-Apr-05, 14:35
Never mind putting napies on dogs, rub their owners nose in the mess!! HA!HA!

Drutt
05-Apr-05, 14:47
It appears that this is already an issue of concern for the council. See section 27 in the minutes of this meeting of the Caithness Committee (http://www.highland.gov.uk/minutes/areas/caithness/caithness_committee/minutes/caith_cc_mins_2004/caith_cc_mins_310504.htm) 10 months ago. Mr Murray, the dog and litter warden, states that they rely on members of the public to make complaints, but that the public seem reluctant to do so.

According to this press release (http://www.highland.gov.uk/cx/pressreleases/2003/jan03/dog_fouling.htm), the Highland Council welcomed additional powers to clamp down on dog fouling.

Dog fouling issues would appear to be dealt with by the Transport, Environmental and Community Services (http://www.highland.gov.uk/prots/environ_health/pest_control/pest_control.htm) office. Give them a call. Find out what you can do to help the dog fouling nuisance. They clearly can't do anything if nobody reports the irresponsible dog owners to them.

It may only take the fining (and public humiliation in the local paper) of a couple of these dog owners to get the other ones running scared and using poop scoops.

According to this page (http://www.cambridge.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/environment/pests-and-nuisance/animal-nuisance/fouling/) on the Cambridge Council website, there is a deterrent spray available to reduce dog fouling. This could be used in particularly bad areas. Has anyone approached a local councillor to enquire if this is used, or could be purchased for use? Let them know that you regard this as a serious problem.

There's even an area which found that CCTV reduced dog fouling (http://www.ndfc.co.uk/article/articleview/1029/1/53/). If there are Neighborhood Watch Schemes being set up in Caithness, there is no reason why dog fouling couldn't be one of the issues the members dealt with.

In the meantime, if dogs are fouling on the pavement outside your own house, I'd be tempted to buy a spray (http://www.petplanet.co.uk/shop_store/PandG_Get_Off_Spray_375ml_p0710.html) to use on the pavement to deter them. I'd also consider using drops of essential oils, particularly citrus oils like orange, citronella, grapefruit or lemon to encourage dogs to go elsewhere.

~~Tides~~
05-Apr-05, 15:40
I always knew the council sat around a table and talked crap. :evil

dragonfly
05-Apr-05, 15:57
again its the minority affecting the majority! I have trained my dog to do it in two places, either in rough gound while out on his walks, and if its accessible enough for me to pick it up I do, but most of the time he will go his walk and then when we get home he does it in our garden from where I pick it up