A Passion for Poo

Really?

Well, it depends who’s poo. Dog poo vs. Deer poo? We can often to be found looking at droppings in Granville’s Wood and getting excited if it proves we have a badger or hedgehog using an area. But not all poo is equal…

What we don’t like seeing is dog poo. That just makes us really cross. Don’t get us wrong here, we are dog lovers. Several of the team have dogs and have done all their lives. We ask people to keep their dogs on a lead in the Woods to show respect, and to pick up after their dogs.

In the wider Walton Woods, the problem is more prevelant.

 

Isn’t Poo Natural?

It turns out it can be far more than your day ruined by lazy dog owners. A far more serious issue caused by the people not cleaning up after their dog is bacteria. Coliform bacteria, whip worms, tape worms, round worms, hook worms, parvo, corona, giardiasis, salmonellosis, cryptosporidiosis and campylobacteria are just a few of the nasties that can be spread. Far from being a fertiliser, dog waste is classed as toxic and causes the deaths of many livestock every year.

We’ve found that the offenders of this most avoidable crime don’t sit in any particular social group or stereotype, and the reasons for it varies. The most common response when challenging those responsible is that it is “natural” and they see no problem with it. However, there is nothing natural about the number of dogs in our lives. It’s a very unnatural problem and one solely created by us, which means we are responsible for fixing it. Keeping our beautiful woods so welcoming and safe is our core mission.

 

Poo Bags

The most important message from our Woodland is to take your dog poo home with you, there are no waste bins at the Woods. To avoid plastic use, you can purchase biodegradable poo bags or paper versions, but these still need to be dealt with properly. To keep our wildlife and soil safe – you can’t just throw them into the woods.

Definitely don’t hand your poo bags from branches – why do people do that? 

We are big fans of Brian Harper, who has invented a street lamp, powered by a dog poo digester! Here is a great article about the longer term options we should be working towards. Perhaps you have the space for a composter?