Please don't pick up your dog poo!

Okay, I'm really not suggesting that if you are a dog owner that you leave it's crap lying around - having a couple of young children and living near a park where they like to play you can imagine that irresponsible dog owners really grind my gears. If you can't be bothered to read the rest of this update PLEASE DO PICK UP YOUR DOG POO.

Now for the rest of you what the hell am I wittering about? Well the title of this update was inspired by a notice I spotted at the entrance to a local area of managed woodland while walking the dogs today. We've become accustomed these days to signs warning us that we will be fined if we don't clean up after our dogs (although I don't think I've ever seen anyone with the authority to issue such a fine while I've been out) so it was interesting to spot one today politely requesting that we do the opposite.

Naturally details were short but the implication seemed to be that due to the eco-nature of the area they would rather you didn't use plastic bags to collect your dog mess and instead leave it for nature to take it's course if it is out of the way of the paths and car parks. Oh the fun trying to find a stick to flick dog crap far enough into the undergrowth when our Labrador opted to squeeze one out right on the edge of the main entrance route to the forest.

Anyway, getting back to the matter in hand seeing this sign reinforced a concern I've had for some time. You see responsible dog owners collect their crap, but it's usually in plastic bags and typically it's then deposited in general waste bins. Not the most environmentally friendly option, and I guess it means that the contents of these bins aren't likely to be sorted for recycling if they are 50% full of bagged dog mess!

There has to be a better option surely? I just can't think of it. It's not practical to carry a shovel round to bury it, and I'm sure the council wouldn't take kindly to legions of dog owners digging up their parks, so apart from buying bio-degradable poo bags which will only do so much good in the land-fill anyway what can the eco conscious dog owner do?

Answers on a post card...or in the comments box ;)