Wednesday 1 September 2010

Ugh, It's .....!

It seems that the restrictions on exercising dogs on beaches are still not strict enough.

The other day my family and I were just leaving the sand at St Brelade's Bay, when one of my daughters pointed out a fine specimen of a dog, that had just arrived. However, after we had admired it for a few seconds, it squatted with an arched back. Its walker promptly came over, and I naively remarked “That's good – he is going to scoop it up.” Alas, I had sadly overestimated the man. Instead of removing the pollution, he dug it a couple of inches into the surface of the sand with a few deft sweeps of his shoe. And it did not occur to him that my shout of “That will be a nice surprise for some lucky kid, tomorrow!” might have been addressed to him.

So, if we have a situation where dog owners cannot tell prime family leisure beaches from giant litter trays, then we need to defend our beaches by not allowing our poor, confused cynophiles to bring their pets at all, at any time of day or night, or at least banishing them to a few remote locations that can be designated Dog Beaches and shunned by the rest of us.

The nature of dogs' metabolisms and digestions makes their droppings more harmful than those of other common domestic animals, as well as more disgusting. If dog owners will not respect their fellow humans of their own free will, then we must compel their respect by curtailing the freedoms that they abuse.

4 comments:

Rover said...

The most disgusting thing I have seen on a beach is 'parents' - probably the sort who whine about dogs - getting up and leaving their child's soiled disposable nappies behind, along with crisp packets, beer cans, broken glass. Dog owners should be made to clear their mess and most do in my experieence (I was one once) but those who don't need to be fined, not the dog punished. The rstrictions on walking dogs in our 'summer' are a bad joke and should be scrapped. When will we do something about the type of 'parents' I decribe? These should be fined too and theeir names put in the paper.

TonyTheProf said...

As usual, I bet it is the few who cause the upset; the majority pick up the doggy-poo.

Jill Gracia said...

Ah, my favourite gripe! Having not long ago started walking my friend's dog for her on a regular basis, it is my proud boast that I consider myself to be a responsible 'walkies' lady!

Armed with kitchen roll, plastic bags etc., off I go three times a week, and invariably come back seething. I have seen owners just let their dogs poo on beaches and grasssland and no thought of picking it up, indeed some do not even carry the equipment to do so, and I'm sure they do not use their hands! I have seen people pick up, only to deposit the bag behind a rock further down the beach rather than find a bin on their return.

Then there are those who do not seem aware of the law about exercising dogs ON LEADS on beaches between certain hours of the day in the summer months. They just let them run riot without a thought for the reasoning behind this law. Aaaaaargh!

I am rather surprised the States do not employ some type of warden to police this issue, with on the spot fines to boot. Someone could have a little 4 x 4 and patrol beaches etc, and nab anybody there and then. In fact if our Treasury Minister wants to raise some revenue, I can't think of a better way, because I could get him some cash in every day!!

Moan over - now please do not do a posting about people who drop cigarette ends until my blood pressure returns to normal!

Anonymous said...

try living up la pouqelay, the pavements seem to be prime pooping grounds. I have to take a torch with me when going to the shop in the dark in order to dodge the stuff as the street lights are almost non existent.

Just a thought, do guide dogs get taught to go around dog crap so the owner doesn't step in it?!