Allow me to have a mini rant...

I left the house on Saturday night around 9pm to go to the Honor Oak for a few pints.

I had left the front garden gate open (I live in a terraced house), and some selfish idiot had allowed their dog to take a huge dump right on the edge of the pavement by the end of my path, in the middle of my pathway, so I couldn't open or close my gate.

I couldn't believe how disgustingly selfish and idiotic this was, what kind of stupid idiot would allow their dog to c**p there, and just leave it for someone else to clear up? I don't think people like that should be allowed to keep dogs, as they clearly don't care one jot about the consequences of their actions.

rant over..

KK

Has anyone noticed that there seems to be alot of Dog waste around Honor Oak?! Well especially Stillness Road!! I have caught a dog and his owner in the act once. If anyone witnesses this with anyone else, please please can you stop them if possible! It's disgusting!

There appears to have been a sudden increase in dog poop on Ringmore Rise. Often in the centre of the pavement. Perhaps it's like graffitti where one bit makes it seem immediately less unacceptable?

I have indeed noticed this happening alot more in Honor Oak. I caught someone near my flat the other day..a teenager with a bull terrier, I told him it was disgusting not to clean it up after his dog but he just muttered something under his breath and walked off. I wish there was some way this behaviour could be curbed too.

Has anyone noticed that there seems to be alot of Dog waste around Honor Oak?! Well especially Stillness Road!! I have caught a dog and his owner in the act once. If anyone witnesses this with anyone else, please please can you stop them if possible! It's disgusting!

There is a lot on stillness road, and it irritates me no end. There seems to be one dog and owner who makes a habit of taking a dump right outside my house - the streetsweepers never clean it up either.

I haven't caught anybody in the act yet but I will sooner or later - if anyone does catch an owner doing this then make sure you remind them that it is illegal, and that owners can be fined up to ?1,000. Take a photo with your camera phone if you have one - or pretend to take one even if your phone doesn't have a camera. It's a disgusting habit and owners need to be reminded of this.

KK

See this thread for more info on what you can do on this issue, and for the experience of some others.

From what was said there, the street sweepers weren't doing anything about dog mess, but they are now. Certainly as I have been walking along Garthorne Road in the last few weeks it's been a lot better.

It wasn't great this morning along Garthorne (two big piles). But I have noticed that when I walk back along in the evening, what was there in the morning is generally gone, presumably thanks to the street cleaners.

I haven't caught anybody in the act yet but I will sooner or later - if anyone does catch an owner doing this then make sure you remind them that it is illegal, and that owners can be fined up to ?1,000. Take a photo with your camera phone if you have one - or pretend to take one even if your phone doesn't have a camera. It's a disgusting habit and owners need to be reminded of this.

I think that if any of us spot anyone doing this in SE23 we should follow them back to where they live and dump the offending dog poo outside thier gate to see how they like it!! However considering the abuse I got recently for confronting someone maybe a more constructive approach would be better. I suggest they are followed to their (presumably local) address and then a standard letter is sent to them. This could highlighting the fact that they have been spotted offending by members of HOPRA and The Forest Hill Society, state the fine and say that their address and photographic evidence will be supplied to the police if they are caught re-offending in the area ....maybe this could help? Is it worth a try?

I do not think the FH Society / HOPRA should act as the dog-poo police. The letter should probably be anonymous if you want to take action yourself but should not be on behalf of the FH Society.

These sort of dog owners are generally deliberately taking their dogs out to go to the toilet and not just for a walk. Such letters would have no deterrent effect.

No problem Micheal - was just an idea. I was not suggesting that HOPRA or FHS act as the dog poo police at all but am sure all its members in SE23 would prefer that things like this do not happen on their door steps. If these people knew that the local community is against what they do (or do not do as is the case) maybe they would take heed of this.

The problem isn't just on the streets though - it's also in all the local parks, which many dog-owners seem to think are just a place to take their dog to poop. I have a small child and whenever I visit a local park I daren't let them run on the grass because they will inevitably walk through a load of dog mess. I know many other parents who feel the same. It's not just that dog mess is dirty, it also carries many diseases (including blindness), and children inevitably end up with it on their clothes and hands (and pushchair and carseat etc etc.....). I feel it is such a shame that the parks are being taken over by the dogs, that families are being put off using them, and that children end up being discouraged from having a good run around.

Of the local parks, Blythe Hill and Mayow Park are pretty bad. The Horniman Gardens at least have a separate section marked for dog-owners to walk their dogs, but this isn't guaranteed as I've often seen dog mess in the other areas too.

This all means that a nice visit to the park ends up in a load of stress. I've not been brave enough myself to confront the owners when I've seen them let their dog mess, but I do think more stark notices about the diseases it carries, possible fines, and separate dog-poop areas in the park might help a bit.

I think this poster campaign by Exeter Council is much more hard-hitting that any of those weedy 'please clear up after your dog' signs:
http://www.exeter.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=5358

Sorry about the rant but I feel pretty strongly about this!

Really? Dog poop carries blindness?

Dog poo carries a microscopic organism that can lead to blindness if consumed (and little dears with inate curiosity like putting things in their mouths, horrible I know but it does happen).

Every lunchtime there are at least 15 dogs running loose on the top on One Tree Hill as a company exercises them. They bring them all in two vans and let them loose - always seem to be there between 12:30 and 13:00. I presume they are from a kennels or dog watching service.

I don't know whether they scoop or not. There are certainly occasional poops on the paths but that could be anybody (or anything).

Those packs of dogs are a menace. It was like the Hounds of the Baskervilles the one and only time I ventured up there!

I would have to agree - there is definitely pack behaviour and the "owners" say "oh he's fine - very friendly" as the dog eyes you up while barking and drooling.

I have no objection to dog walkers but I believe they are supposed to keep dogs under control which these ones are not.

Of course OTH is in Southwark and I live in Lewisham so there's not a lot of scope for complaining to the council.

I do think there should be some way of reporting known 'offenders' to the Council. There is a guy on my street who is known for it, other neighbours have seen him and his dogs at it too, and I even caught him once about to let his dog do a poop in my front garden!! The cheek of it.

And yes in response to previous posters - babies and young children do have a habit of putting everything and anything in their mouths. If it gets on their hands, it will end up in their mouth. (Mine went through a delightful phase of eating the mud off the buggy wheels). Don't get me wrong, I'm not against children getting dirty, a few germs are good for them, but dog poop is a different matter.

I totally agree Jane - but to do this we need to know where these people live and maybe have some kind of photographic evidence. As mentioned earlier in the thread I think if the offenders are sent a letter, be it anon from someone in the community, or backed by someone (Micheal has already ruled out the FHS) this might help a little. Maybe we should try and locate someone in the council who would deal with such matters, a warning letter from them might make them take more notice....or maybe not.

Just found this on Lewisham's website - this is all well and good but has anyone every heard of someone in the borough being fined or even seen any of the enforcement officers?

http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/Environment/R...ouling.htm