‘Entitled': Damning photo shows what's wrong with dog owners

News.com.au

16 hours ago

An Aussie has had enough of an anonymous dog owner who repeatedly leaves their pet's droppings on the footpath outside their house.
Taking to Reddit, the resident of a quiet suburban lane vented about the unpleasant and recurring problem and shared how they are trying to curb it.
'Our street is only several houses long. They're probably taking their dog to poop every morning and leaving the sh*t on the sidewalk every time,' the author explained.
They then posted a photo showing just how bad the issue has become.
There appears to be at least eight separate incidents, spaced along the path, making it clear this isn't a one-off occurrence.
Neighbour's fed up response
The poster decided to write a blunt message in chalk across the footpath that said: 'BAG YOUR DOG SH*T,' hoping the public shaming would finally make the offending owner do the right thing.
While they admitted they 'felt stupid' retaliating in this way, they were fed up, especially considering 'you can get 50 bags for $2 at the shops'.
'I don't want to pick up your dog's faeces every other day,' they ranted, adding that chalk wasn't their preferred solution.
'Believe me, if I knew who it was, I'd be shovelling it into a bucket for a few weeks and ditching it on their driveway.'
Commenters weigh in
The post was flooded with hundreds of people chiming in to share similar experiences and how they dealt with it.
One person summed up the sense of helplessness many people feel towards these situations.
'We had people having their dogs constantly do this on the footpath next to our side gate,' they said.
'Told the council and they did nothing. We got cameras and put up a sign telling them to stop doing it and council comes by the next morning and rips our sign and poster out'.
Others also tried taking the matter into their own hands.
'Security cameras and posted them on the local noticeboard page,' said one.
Another shared a recipe for a DIY dog repellent, while others said they have physically left the excrement in people's letterboxes before.
Others were simply horrified by the sight.
'Wow, just saw the second picture. Too far,' said one.
'So disgusting and frustrating,' someone else empathised.
'Some, not all, dog owners are the most entitled pieces of sh*t in society,' another lamented.
Fines for not picking up after your dog
If you get caught not picking up after your dog in Australia, you could be hit with some hefty fines, though the amount depends on where you live and which council you fall under.
In New South Wales, an on-the-spot fine for failing to remove your dog's poo can start at $275, but if it goes to court, you could face up to $880.
In Queensland, the fine can reach up to $333, and in Victoria, penalties range from $100 to $500.
Impacts of dog waste
Australia has some of the highest pet ownership rates in the world, which increased during Covid – with almost half of all households owning dogs – meaning issues like this are only going to rise.
While abandoned dog faeces are an annoyance, they can also have a significant impact on local environments and wildlife.
Leaving dog waste uncollected can introduce harmful parasites and bacteria into the environment, posing risks to other animals.
If the waste gets into waterways, it can act as fertiliser in aquatic ecosystems, leading to excessive algae growth that harms aquatic life.
A report by the CSIRO this year found that even when it's not directly eaten, dog faeces can act as scent markers, signalling the presence of predators.
This can cause native mammals and birds to avoid otherwise suitable habitats, reducing biodiversity and disrupting breeding and feeding patterns.