SOGGY DOGGY

The forecast was right - more rain and yet more rain!  I woke up at 5am to a torrential downpour and my immediate thought was we are going to get soaked this morning! Fortunately, it had eased off by the time we started our walk at 7am.

On our walks we are constantly dismayed by the amount of dog poo we have to avoid - on pavements, lanes, footpaths, everywhere!    We have even named one pathway, which leads from houses into fields, Poo Alley!  This week having our lovely doggy companion, Ernie, brought the subject even more into focus.  We took bags with us and followed him around! On Monday it was easy as we used one of the dog litter bins in the park.  Today, not a bin in sight, so we can see why dog owners get fed up of carrying around their full poo bags and end up throwing them in the hedgerow instead of disposing them at home.  

The thing with dog poo is that it is not only extremely unpleasant but it is dangerous to public health, especially in young children's play areas.  It is not only direct contact that can cause disease but rain drives fecal matter into water supplies and they become contaminated.  So, thinking that if your dog does his business in the countryside it is ok to leave it, is simply not true.  In fact, since May 1997 'you are legally obliged to clear up after your dog if it fouls any land open to air to which the public have access'.

Above is the story of our walk - from urbanisation to countryside within a short distance.  We met up with some fellow dog walkers.  The ground was soggy and we could  see more signs of Autumn encroaching.  Keeping our fingers crossed for some sunshine before the dark, murky mornings begin...  I noticed a purple ribbon attached to this tree below - heard to tying a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree but never one this colour!