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Much
A Do About Poo
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Poo Facts
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The
image of Julie Andrews, looking skyward as she strikes across the field
singing “The Sound of Music”, made me laughed aloud.
She
would not be able to complete this scene smiling all the way through if it
was performed at any public parks in Malaysia.
Yes, you got it. She would most likely have stepped on dog
poo before she hit the chorus.
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A Lost Dogs' Home study
revealed that the average amount of dog poo generated by a dog each day is
100 gms. It is smelly, unsightly, and very unpleasant to step in as
it will stick to your shoes.
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It
should not be a laughing matter though as my son had many near misses when
he played at the park near our home.
And it is not because he is an alert football player.
He is the goalkeeper and his playmate always beat him into
stepping, or more correctly, stomping into one.
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Dogs are exercised in
public open space, such as, parks, reserves, streets and roadside.
Sadly, most dog owners are reluctant to pick up after their dog.
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As dog poo litter in the
park is the most frequent complaint I hear at the Residents Committee
meetings I have been attending, I decided to go on the web to see what
others are doing about it.
Learn more about poo litter at Victorian Litter Action Alliance.
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Poos should not be left
behind at places where children are as they often put things into their
mouths. Some dog droppings contain harmful bacteria and disease
that can cause infections. This
is why you are not encouraged to compost
dog, cat or human faeces (manure) in your garden.
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To be
able to find a solution to this problem, let us take a look at some of the
reasons they have provided as to why dog owners may not pick up after
their pet.
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Why Dog Owners May Not Pick Up After Their
Pet
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Working Towards A Poo Free Park
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Embarrassment
about picking up and carrying around a bag of dog poo. |
Imagine how you would feel if
you have to walk around looking for means to remove dog poo on your shoes. |
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Forgetting
to take an appropriate device, such as a bag or pooper scooper. |
Get
Pet Shops to advertise on
pooch pouches that can be attached to dog leads to be given away to dog owners so
that they would never
be caught without a bag. |
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Inconvenience
associated with having to take bags/devices on walks, and carrying them
once full, particularly if no bins are available. |
Request
the town council to Install
bins at areas that have a high incidence of dog walking activity |
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Not
being aware of health hazard or not caring enough about it (e.g. believing dog
poo is natural and will 'break down over time'). |
Educate
dog owners about the health hazards their dogs’ poo can create.
Provide them tips on cleaning up. |
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Distaste
at the smell, the sensation of handling dog poo and the possibility of
coming into direct contact with it. |
Let
us create
GreenBeings
Scoopy
Do and leave them at parks near your home. Owners
are more likely to pick up dog poo if they see other owners doing the same
thing. |
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In
Malaysia, there
is no law against not picking up dog poo litter. |
Start
a Scoopy Do Brigade and teach
the children using the park to enforce picking up habit.
Show them how to make GreenBeings
Scoopy Do and tell them how to use it. Provide them T-Shirts with messages, such as, “Let's Play on
Green Fields. Not Dog Poo” or "Don't Leave Park Without Your
Dog and Poo", that will induce dog owners to pick up. |
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