What doggies do: How to get pet owners to 'clean up' their act
Why do some dog owners refuse to pick up their pet's poop?
Mike Wills (in for CapeTalk's John Maytham) speaks to principal animal behaviourist at Dogtown South Africa, Gordon Banks.
Listen below:
Did you know that more than 1,000 tons of dog poop are dropped to the ground in the UK every week?
Besides the smell and risk of people stepping in it, it carries many parasites, so leaving it there is not ideal.
The dilemma seems to be that many pet owners don't want to use plastic bags to pick up their 'doggy's do', as they're not totally biodegradable or good for the environment.
But as Banks suggests, there are other options...
"Unfortunately, humans being what we are, we get a bit squeamish... piece of newspaper, pick it up, put it in the bin, wash you hands."
- Gordon Banks, Principal Animal Behaviourist - Dogtown South Africa
Banks says South Africans are generally very undisciplined about picking up their dogs' mess at parks and on pavements, but they should consider finding a way to take it home and use it for compost in their gardens.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the discussion.