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It is nearing that time of year again when everything starts to melt, and all of the unmeltable items that have built up over the winter begin to surface and… well, smell. Yes, I am referring to dog doo, the ever-annoying substance that seems to be causing lots of dialogue within the local area lately. It seems as though many of the public walking trails within the Lewiston/Auburn community have been littered with the stuff, and now that the snow has almost completely melted, the poo has risen. Understandably so, people are very upset. No one wants to have to clean up another dog’s stench, and no one should even have to smell, step in, or look at it. Apparently, people have not been picking up after their dogs, and it has become such a problem that city officials are considering closing some of these areas down to dogs.

Unfortunately, there are many responsible dog owners who DO clean up after their dogs who will all be penalized for other’s actions if this happens. This makes this an important issue for everyone who uses the trails. This also makes for an important issue for our entire community; non-dog lovers included. Why? It’s important for many reasons. If these trails are closed down to dogs, less people will have reasons to travel to our lovely community. It is also a factor that could make owning a dog unfavorable for some, if they don’t have a recreational area to take their dogs. This works against our efforts to place more adoptable dogs in good homes for obvious reasons. For every wonderful member of the dog-loving community, it sometimes feels like there are 5 people who will disagree. We don’t need any more strikes against us!

Dog poop is a large part of owning a dog. It’s no ones favorite part, but it is a part, and people need to understand that when they decide to have a dog. I am currently the guardian of 3 very large dogs. Whenever we go outside, their activities are supervised. If I can juggle 3 large dogs with 3 leashes, and still pick up 3 (or more) poops, and carry all of them home, then I really don’t see any excuse for not picking up after a dog other than laziness. It does not matter if it is “off to the side of the trail”, pick it up. Carry poop bags with you wherever you go. Think of it like having a baby. You have to pack diapers for that baby, don’t you? It’s the same thing! Not to mention it is unhealthy for everyone to to be inhaling the fumes from dog waste. Anyone who owns a dog also know that some dogs actually have a certain "stink-tooth" for the smelly stuff, and no one wants their dog hauling them down a trail at 90 miles per hour just so they can get a whiff of another dogs brew. It's just not fun for anyone.

The point that I am trying to make is that every member of the dog community has a responsibility to protect our image. It makes things easier for us in the long run, and it will help us gain more benefits in the future. By skipping the step of not picking up after their dog, these guilty parties are just making more work and hardship for all of us than they are actually saving themselves.

How do we solve this problem and get it through people’s heads how important it is to pick up after their dog? The city has considered signs, and/or “clean up stands”. They have imposed a fine for anyone they happen to catch in the act. Pack Life has planned an “April Stools Day” cleanup event for April 3rd (more info. to come!) to help clean the area. This will make it nice, but how do we keep the area looking (and smelling) beautifully? What things are done in your community to ensure people clean up after their pooches? What worked? What didn’t? Any advice would be greatly appreciated, as we would like to keep Androscoggin County a dog friendly community.

Thanks for your input!