(PHOTO: Roscoe the Boxer bolts through the Shea Woods. File photo / December 2017.)
Irresponsible dog owners who neglect to pick up after their dogs is a chronic issue in the suburbs during winter time.
Case in point: the unofficial Stittsville dog park (aka Shea Woods) off Abbott & Shea. Users of this special area really need to take ownership of the dog waste issue and pick up after their dog. Pay attention folks! I can understand if your dog runs way off the beaten path and relieves itself deeper in the forest (where nobody walks and you either missed it or don’t see it), but when your furry friend poops right on the main path, or just to the side of it where we all walk and our dogs meander, it is a very different story.
I sincerely worry that this is not only a health hazard, but something that could prevent the City’s plans to move forward with an official dog park designation. Perhaps a much-needed dog waste disposal bin at either entrance to the area is in order? I am more than willing to pitch in money for this given the genuine health hazard this un-scooped waste is likely already causing.
For the enjoyment of all, PICK UP AFTER YOUR DOG! Maybe it’s time to start poop shaming dog owners… any ideas?
Kathy Scheepers
(WHAT DO YOU THINK? Add your comment below or send an email to feedback@stittsvillecentral.ca)
I can’t understand the people who take the time to pick up the waste then throw the plastic bag into a tree! As pet owners it is our responsibility to clean up after them. If we can’t do that simple task then we don’t deserve a pet.
People need to remember that Parvovirus is spread through dog feces. It is highly contagious and can be deadly especially in dogs who haven’t been properly vaccinated or in puppies. There is an outbreak of the disease in southwest ONTARIO. So leaving your dog shit around us not only disgusting, rude and lazy, it is a serious health hazard.
Thanks for the important reminder Andrea!
Adding my ditto to the coversation. I too would be willing to fund waste bins. My husband and I will often pickup other peoples dogs waste but it just never stops; why do dog owners think this is okay?
Oh my blood pressure has just gone up – an event that really riles me! This problem exists in all areas where people walk their dogs. It is disgusting and irresponsible of the owners. You clean your baby and dispose of their diapers don’t you? Well, clean up after your dog and take that bag home! It is because of people NOT picking up that dogs are losing their territories in which to enjoy their walks with their owners. Not only is Parvovirus a problem, but other diseases (worms) as well. Not only that, but springtime walking is not very pleasant when you are slip, sliding away on dog crap! Some people are just too lazy and dumb and should NOT own dogs – it reflects back on their own hygiene too! Be responsible and pick-up because if you don’t we all lose by having our dog walk areas withdrawn and those who don’t own pets having to deal with the crap on a walk through our wonderful trails and paths in Stittsville giving dog owners a bad image. We have ‘Cleaning the Capital’, well ‘Keep our Trails Clean’!
I wish to join the small chorus of comments about the dog poop problem. My wife has been using the Shea Road dog park for over 6 years on a daily basis. For years she picked up for lazy and inconsiderate dog owners, carrying up to 30+ pounds of dog crap out of the park daily by collecting the poop left behind. She set up a poop tree as a collection area and supplied collection plastic bags for individuals who conveniently “forgot” to bring a poop bag with them on their walks. She disposed of it until the city thoughtfully removed several refuse bins along the Trans Canada trail late last Summer for God knows what reason. So, she stopped picking up other people’s dog droppings.
We now have a befouled walking park which is frankly disgusting and is a real problem especially on the trails. Particularly galling are the people who pick up their dog’s poop and throw them in their plastic bags onto the tree branches to hang. What are they thinking? Not much apparently! The Shea Park woods is a beautiful preservation area which the city has finally decided to protect. As citizens we must do our part to assist the municipality in caring for this small gem of our community. Otherwise all the dog owners risk to lose the opportunity of having the park designated as a leash free dog park, a feature sorely needed in Stittsville. In its present state, dog owners cannot demonstrate the stewardship required to manage or care for a dog park. So please pick up your dogs’ poop ( you know who you are!) and help us be proud of our community.
Jacques, as a fellow dog walker please pass on my thanks to your wife for all the work she did over the years to keep the area clean.
I did ask our councillor a few weeks back about what happened to the garbage bin along the Trans Canada Trail near Granite Ridge. It turns out City of Ottawa staff removed the bin because of health/safety concerns — someone was disposing personal waste (including adult diapers) into the bin. Staff are going to revisit the situation in the spring.
This week I am going to look into what it would take to purchase & install a proper dog waste bin. I’m hoping we can pay for it via a crowdfunding campaign, targeted at people who walk their dogs on the Shea Woods land.
This problem exists everywhere dog’s are walked in Stittsville and it is thoroughly disgusting! I walk my dog on the path that runs through the Westridge community and the sides are covered in poop. Although waste from all sizes of dog’s is evident, it seems that owners of large dog’s have particular difficulty picking up after them! Guess they didn’t think about having to pick up after it when they brought their puppy home! I truly believe it is a small percentage of dog owners who are so irresponsible and inconsiderate but they spoil it for the rest of us. I would also want to call out those owners who pick up after their dog and promptly walk to the garbage bin at the bench beside the park and throw it in there!! The bin is often overflowing and stinks in the Summer. Take your dog’s poop home and dispose of it there!