What To Do With Doggy Doo

Dog poop, when not properly disposed of, is pretty offensive. Whether it's the environmental or social impact (I'd say both) most people agree, dog waste on the trail, sidewalk and just about anywhere is nasty stuff. But if you have a pet on the trail, it's something you must deal with as a Leave No Trace practitioner. So how do we get more people on the bandwagon, picking up their dog's poop and properly disposing of it? This question and others are ones we ponder quite a bit around here. And i don't believe there is a perfect answer. The good news is, we're not the only ones pondering these questions or trying different tactics to encourage people to comply. Check out the article on treehugger which shows how several differnt areas around the country and globe are dealing with the issue of dog waster and how people manage their pets.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/10/fecal-flags-becoming-global-standard-combating-doggie-doo-pollution.php

Here in Boulder, the City of Boulder Mountain Parks and Open Space tries a number of methods on the trails that they manage. One is signage:

While hiking, I didn't see any evidence of poop directly on the trail, but I can't say people were totally adhereing to what the city was asking.

Not quite:

Nope:

As I said, understanding what people will respond to in terms of education is a work in progress and one that we'll continue to talk about and study for years to come.