Doggy poop bags!!

[odile]

most French towns are like that - in fact it's so bad that most owners carry their dog (chihuhaha or poodles types) so they want walk in other dogs' mess. YUK

[Val_2]

The three times that I have taken our dog to Brest to see my son in the city centre, he has flatly refused to even pee in the street and certainly refuses to crap as there is no grass. He waited over 7 hours last time until we got home here before letting a torrent flow. I buy those 10l bathroom sacs from all the supermarkets at about €1 for 20 and use them for the cat turds and also if out walking to take the dog ones to the nearest bin.

[Panda]

You can now get nappy sacks in Auchan, they are highly scented which helps a lot if you can't find a bin close by!

[caro]

Well, thank God the brits have come to live in France. They'll sort out the problem of dog poo! More rules and regulations. Never mind that most contagious diseases are spread by humans. Am I  right in saying that most hospitals in britain are full of MRSA??? Is this caused by dogs? I don't think so. If you don't like what they do in France, why don't you just remain in blighty???

[Quillan]

I assume thats a tongue in cheek comment Caro.

You will find that many, many French totally disapprove of the dog poo in the streets. There was a guy in a town near us (here in France) who used to take photos' of the owner with their dog whilst it was having a cr@p and then blow up the picture to A4 size. made copies  and pined them on lampposts round the town. OK it took him a couple of years but now there is a 'dog warden' who issues tickets to people walking in town with their dogs not on a lead, he also gives them a ticket if their dog does a poo. We even have a designated area where people, who have flats for example, can take their dogs and have a poo.

Personally I don't think the Brits are that good back in the UK either. Having had several dogs in my time I have often wondered why people get up and take their dog out straight away. I came to the conclusion after watching peoples dogs have a cr@p almost immediately they left the house or got to the park that it was because they didn't want the dog to do it in their back garden. I also observed in parks that the majority of Brits only clean up after their dog if there are people around or there is a good chance they get spotted. I never understood why councils provided free poo bags and bins to put them in, its the owners responsibility to buy the bags and take the poo home for disposal. If you can't afford to buy the bags then you probably can't afford to feed the dog properly either so you shouldn't have one.

I have always said there is no such thing as a bad dog, just a bad owner. Personally I would bring back licences in the UK and introduce them in Europe as well. I wouldn't licence the animals, I would licence the owners. The licence would be coded indicating the type of animal one could keep (D for dog C for cat etc) and one would have to attend a one or two day course before the licence became operation for the animal you want. The animal would be tagged and allocated to you on your licence. If you mis-treated your animal your licence could be revoked, the animal taken in to care and then given to a more caring owner and you could never have one again.

[Benjamin]

[quote user="caro"]Well, thank God the brits have come to live in France. They'll sort out the problem of dog poo![/quote]

A (French) friend who owns a camp site was giving out free doggy poo bags as far back as 1994 when I first met him. As Quillan says above not all French people are immune to feeling that dog owners should clean up after their pets.

[Graye]

What amazes me are the number of French people who have a dog and then let it wander the streets.  Not much chance of THEM clearing up after their dogs is there?  We have new neighbours who have such a dog and as they are out at work he barks all day long at the local chasse pack about a kilometre away then wanders along the lane ripping open rubbish bags - barking at anyone daring to walk along the lane.  Our verge has become his toilet.  I have never seen him walked or even taken into the house.  Why do they bother to have dogs in these circumstances?  All this and FIVE flea-bitten cats who come in to pinch our cats' food at the drop of a hat.  The mayor is fully aware of this as I've seen him visiting the adjoining house - and being barked at.

I would think the best bet for the bags are Lidl's freezer bags.  They are around €1 for 75 so pretty cheap and very sturdy with wire ties too.

[Quillan]

[quote user="Graye"]

What amazes me are the number of French people who have a dog and then let it wander the streets.  Not much chance of THEM clearing up after their dogs is there?  We have new neighbours who have such a dog and as they are out at work he barks all day long at the local chasse pack about a kilometre away then wanders along the lane ripping open rubbish bags - barking at anyone daring to walk along the lane.  Our verge has become his toilet.  I have never seen him walked or even taken into the house.  Why do they bother to have dogs in these circumstances?  All this and FIVE flea-bitten cats who come in to pinch our cats' food at the drop of a hat.  The mayor is fully aware of this as I've seen him visiting the adjoining house - and being barked at.

I would think the best bet for the bags are Lidl's freezer bags.  They are around €1 for 75 so pretty cheap and very sturdy with wire ties too.

[/quote]

Unfortunately if they are on the street there is little you can do. If, however, they stray on to your property you can take a photo and visit the local Gendarme. They will be reluctant to do anything unless you make a statement in writing after which they are then obliged to act. Sometimes an unofficial complaint to the Gendarmes helps, we had to do this when some dogs crossed the river and killed our chickens. In our case the Gendarmes went and had a word, the guy was angry but I pointed out that next time I would make a formal complaint.

Sometimes the French have to be reminded that just because you are British it does not mean you are stupid. Again, from experience, I know the mayor can do little other than having a word. What I did find is that if they ignore the mayor then the mayor feels they are treating him/her with contempt. This often results in the mayor being on your side and whilst its between you and the wners the mayor can have a word with the Gendarmes thus smoothing the way for you to make the official complaint. Same with the Gendarmes after a friendly warning, they get really pead off if they are ignored.

[caro]

I was trying to be witty, Quillan, but failed. Too much wine I think! I know that dog poo can be a problem but I do think there are more nasty things to contend with in life.

[Quillan]

The thing is that to some people an something may be a big thing where as to the majority of us it is only trivial.

When I lived in Cheam Village there was a Fish and Chip shop. My house was just the right distance so that those who ate whilst they walked home after the pub had finished their supper. Over the hedge and into my garden went the Fish and Chips paper, polystyrene cups etc. Not a nice way to spend Sunday morning picking up other peoples litter from your front garden which had been ripped apart by cats and other animals. At that time Fish and Chip wrappers and shops became a bit of a thing for me till after 5 years I finally got the council to put a bin outside.

In France not everyone wants to live in the country, some like to live in large villages or small town. Many of the houses have front doors going straight out into the street. It's not very nice stepping out your front door straight on to a dog turd let alone slipping and smashing your head on the door step. Great in cartoons I would think but not much fun in real life. So for these people dog poo becomes a major issue and who can blame them. Personally we don't suffer so much where I live and it's normally the furthest thing from my mind but I sympathise with others as I am sure you do as well.