When Fido Poops In A Playground
By Mr.e

A few days ago I walked over to the neighborhood playground with my daughter. The sun was shining, a nice day to play outside.

We were not the only ones taking advantage of the pleasant weather. Other parents and nannies had brought their charges out for some fresh air and good old-fashioned play time.

Then I noticed two women sitting on the picnic bench, smoking and chatting animatedly. (The smoke is what crawled up my nose initially. I can't stand smoking near or around children.) On first inspection they seemed to belong to the group of doting parents out for some playtime with their kids, except that their charges weren't human; no they weren't alien either. They definitely fit into the larger canine category.

These women had their dog leashes neatly coiled on the picnic table while their dogs gamboled about the playground amidst small children. Apparently these dog owners had no regard for the designation of "Leash Area".

The fact that one of their beloved pooches (did I mention that the dogs were of the larger variety) peed on one of the two slides moments before some unsuspecting toddler came sliding down that same slide, wiping away most of the offensive substance in the process and necessitating a sudden homeward trip.

Panicked and questioning glares/glances now directed at these two individuals smoking and chatting on the bench were answered with the practiced cheerful reassurances, such as "They're good with kids!", which they managed to make sound careless at the same time.

Being informed of the dirty deed just committed by one of the two dogs; the women shrugged their shoulders, giving everyone present the impression that they were not responsible dog owners. Further information about the leash only bylaws elicited (predictably) the same reaction.

While none of these dogs bothered any of the kids, the fact that their owners didn't care caused a bit of consternation among the parenting group.

It seems that dog owners care more about their pooches being attacked by other pooches in "Off Leash Areas" than about the troublesome mess their pooches leave behind in playgrounds. It's disgusting and totally irresponsible, let alone reprehensible to allow your dog to use an obvious playground as a toilet. It has become a regular chore to scan the entire playground for dog feces to avoid the messy possibility of my child or other kids coming in contact with the stuff.

Is it really too much to ask that dog owners observe just a bit of common decency and make sure their beloved pet goes where it is meant to and then to clean up after them? Your dog does not have the ability to differentiate between appropriate toilet areas. As a responsible dog owner you do. It's up to you.

There is no difference between this type of careless behavior by "responsible dog owners" (and they'll all tell you they are) than finding dog feces on your front lawn, left there by late night dog walkers.

Funny how these dog owners never have any of this disgusting stuff on their own front lawns!