| Look Before You Leap! Even in your own backyard. The Highlands is Dog country. It�s sad to think that during foul weather dogs don�t get walked as much, but that�s a story for another time. Now that it�s summer, owners are walking their dogs further. This means that doggies go poop in yards other than their own. I don�t have a problem with this if the owners would clean it up. There are products out there designed to make clean up easy. I�ve also seen people turn plastic bags inside out around their hand and pick it up. This is not hard. What is hard is cleaning crap off your shoe. This is not a reoccurring issue for me, but I�d like to think when I step in grass I don�t have to worry about it. Of course in other places the problem is worse. Something I heard is that the 2004 Olympics may not be held in Paris, France due to an overwhelming dog poop problem. Something along the lines of �tons.� The day I decided to write this article, three separate incidents occured in which people let their dogs crap in my yard. Later that day, I actually heard a neighbor chewing out a person who lives in my building for not cleaning up after her dog. I consider discarded shit, litter, and thus a crime. I�ve gotten to the point where I blatantly shout at people who commit the offense. I get some pretty dirty looks. Maybe if I decide to toss my feces in their yard they would understand my plight. Unfortunately, many houses in the Highlands are occupied with many persons not all of whom commit the offense. I�m telling all who read this article, clean up after your dog. And for those of us who don't have dogs, feel free to shout at people if they commit this crime. back to july's table of contents |