Dear Ann Cannon,
In response to your timely column (“My neighbor’s dog poops on my other neighbor’s lawn. Should I tell?”, July 8), I couldn't resist sharing my own experience on this subject. I think you did a great service to those who may not have thought about it.
Years ago, when I first lived in Salt Lake City, I also walked my dog and got the first “eye opener” on walking one’s dog outside one’s own property. The owner of the property where my pet defecated saw this event and shouted at me, and embarrassed me about my lack of proper pet ownership.
Today, quite a number of years later, I am back in Salt Lake City, only this time I am a resident of a large apartment complex that is smart enough to provide “waste bag stations” where we dog owners can help ourselves to disposal bags and the container to drop them in.
I have found it convenient to take a number of these bags with me and keep handy as I walk out the door the next time.
For a pet owner who does not have this convenience, pet stores and others sell these convenient bags (in attractive colors) for those pet owners who don’t have the convenience I have. They are not expensive and fix the problem of what to do with the waste if not near a disposal can of some kind on their walk. One’s own garbage can or a community disposal bin can solve the problem.
One only needs to know the hazard of pet waste out in the open for any time to make sure they aren’t contributing to this health hazard that draws flies. One’s dog doesn’t care about this, but humans should.
Phyllis Jones, Midvale