Paws to Reflect
Welcome to WayDOG!
I took the initiative to start WayDOG late last spring the day after the Town of Wayland put a fresh, beautiful new layer of golden sand down on the town beach. I saw the new sand towards the end of the day seemingly glittering in the setting afternoon sun and it looked glorious. Then, I came back the next day at about the same time and was aghast at what I saw: The lovely new sand was pockmarked with dog poop. It seemed to be everywhere. It was a distressing sight. I resolved then and there to try to do something about this and thought that it was time to start a group for dog owners that would, among other things, work to create a stronger sense of ownership of the responsibilities incumbent upon all of us as Wayland residents who own dogs.
The fact is, I know many of the people who bring their dog(s) to the beach everyday. They are all good people and their dogs are great too. But, clearly, a lot of good people have gotten used to not reflecting much about the fact that the use of the beach for dog play (which the town actually prohibits, but does not strictly enforce) comes with responsibilities. These responsibilities start with the fact that the town beach is a wonderful and beloved town resource. Hundreds of people, adults and kids, relax and play on this beach every day all summer long. Many others stroll on and use the beach in all other seasons of the year. It is gross to step in, lay on, dig-up, and/or otherwise find oneself encountering dog poop on the beach. And we could also talk about the potential for disease spread and environmental damage to the lake water and fauna that can result. Everyone who brings their dog to the beach is aware of these things, even if they choose to ignore or not to think about them in the moment when the dog goes into the pooping crouch and leaves a brown pile in plain sight.
So why is this and what can be done? I think that dog owners fail to do the right thing by cleaning-up after their dogs for the reasons stated above: because dog poop is smelly and gross. Policing one's dog poop means using a bag to scoop it up (always with the possibility of getting some on one's hands) and then carrying that smelly bag either to an appropriate container nearby or all the way back home. Who wants to walk around for 20 minutes with bags of poop? Who wants to stand around on the beach (or elsewhere) socializing with friends while holding smelly bags of poop? Nobody. We'd just rather not have to deal with it. So, many of us don't. But we know it's wrong.
How do we change this? I think there are three good solutions that together can change thinking and behaviors:
First, We need to develop a stronger sense of dog-owner responsibility among ourselves. This involves bringing more awareness of sometimes difficult and unpleasant aspects of taking real "ownership" of being a dog owner in a community like ours (or anywhere for that matter). This involves talking with one another about these issues and helping one another to do the right thing in supportive, non-confrontational, and non-judgmental ways.
Second, We need to work with the town to help make it easier for dog owners to do the right thing. This could include putting-up dog poop stations at key places around town that are frequented by dog owners. Strategically placed posts with a container of dog-poop bags and a waste container nearby would go a long way towards encouraging the right behaviors when it comes to cleaning-up after our dogs.
Third, We need to reinforce our best instincts and our capacity for concerted action by bringing dog owners together as a group that can socialize, play, learn, and work together and with all other interested parties (the town, the schools, local businesses, other groups) to help insure that dog ownership remains a great privilege in, and asset to, our community.
There are almost 1500 dog owners in town and a total of around 2000 dogs. The number of complaints about dogs and their owners is growing from many quarters, including from beach-goers and people who use other park and recreation areas, conservationists (dogs trampling sensitive areas and wildlife), schools and parents (poop and uncontrolled dogs on school grounds and playing fields), and individual residents (dogs out of control or dangerous). This seems to be a good time to organize ourselves proactively and take affirmative steps to ensure a culture of dog-owner responsibility that can preserve and strengthen the quality of dog ownership and life in Wayland.
That's my opinion. What's yours!?
Welcome to WayDOG!
I took the initiative to start WayDOG late last spring the day after the Town of Wayland put a fresh, beautiful new layer of golden sand down on the town beach. I saw the new sand towards the end of the day seemingly glittering in the setting afternoon sun and it looked glorious. Then, I came back the next day at about the same time and was aghast at what I saw: The lovely new sand was pockmarked with dog poop. It seemed to be everywhere. It was a distressing sight. I resolved then and there to try to do something about this and thought that it was time to start a group for dog owners that would, among other things, work to create a stronger sense of ownership of the responsibilities incumbent upon all of us as Wayland residents who own dogs.
The fact is, I know many of the people who bring their dog(s) to the beach everyday. They are all good people and their dogs are great too. But, clearly, a lot of good people have gotten used to not reflecting much about the fact that the use of the beach for dog play (which the town actually prohibits, but does not strictly enforce) comes with responsibilities. These responsibilities start with the fact that the town beach is a wonderful and beloved town resource. Hundreds of people, adults and kids, relax and play on this beach every day all summer long. Many others stroll on and use the beach in all other seasons of the year. It is gross to step in, lay on, dig-up, and/or otherwise find oneself encountering dog poop on the beach. And we could also talk about the potential for disease spread and environmental damage to the lake water and fauna that can result. Everyone who brings their dog to the beach is aware of these things, even if they choose to ignore or not to think about them in the moment when the dog goes into the pooping crouch and leaves a brown pile in plain sight.
So why is this and what can be done? I think that dog owners fail to do the right thing by cleaning-up after their dogs for the reasons stated above: because dog poop is smelly and gross. Policing one's dog poop means using a bag to scoop it up (always with the possibility of getting some on one's hands) and then carrying that smelly bag either to an appropriate container nearby or all the way back home. Who wants to walk around for 20 minutes with bags of poop? Who wants to stand around on the beach (or elsewhere) socializing with friends while holding smelly bags of poop? Nobody. We'd just rather not have to deal with it. So, many of us don't. But we know it's wrong.
How do we change this? I think there are three good solutions that together can change thinking and behaviors:
First, We need to develop a stronger sense of dog-owner responsibility among ourselves. This involves bringing more awareness of sometimes difficult and unpleasant aspects of taking real "ownership" of being a dog owner in a community like ours (or anywhere for that matter). This involves talking with one another about these issues and helping one another to do the right thing in supportive, non-confrontational, and non-judgmental ways.
Second, We need to work with the town to help make it easier for dog owners to do the right thing. This could include putting-up dog poop stations at key places around town that are frequented by dog owners. Strategically placed posts with a container of dog-poop bags and a waste container nearby would go a long way towards encouraging the right behaviors when it comes to cleaning-up after our dogs.
Third, We need to reinforce our best instincts and our capacity for concerted action by bringing dog owners together as a group that can socialize, play, learn, and work together and with all other interested parties (the town, the schools, local businesses, other groups) to help insure that dog ownership remains a great privilege in, and asset to, our community.
There are almost 1500 dog owners in town and a total of around 2000 dogs. The number of complaints about dogs and their owners is growing from many quarters, including from beach-goers and people who use other park and recreation areas, conservationists (dogs trampling sensitive areas and wildlife), schools and parents (poop and uncontrolled dogs on school grounds and playing fields), and individual residents (dogs out of control or dangerous). This seems to be a good time to organize ourselves proactively and take affirmative steps to ensure a culture of dog-owner responsibility that can preserve and strengthen the quality of dog ownership and life in Wayland.
That's my opinion. What's yours!?
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