HARVEY MILK was a complicated guy who did a lot for gay rights, but he is also known to many as the man who popularized urban pooper-scooper laws. At the time it was common for people to just let their dogs go on the sidewalk, and leave it there for flies to colonize and people to step on. Gross!
Today it is common all over America for people to pick up after their dogs, and we have Harvey Milk to thank for that. But sometimes people don’t think.
I frequently see bags of dog poop on the local bike and walking trail. This makes no sense on two levels.
- If you pick up after your dog, put the result in a trash can. Don’t leave the bag on the trail.
- The scooper law was for city sidewalks. When you are on a trail in a wooded area, don’t leave non- biodegradable plastic around. In natural areas, you can “Stick ‘N Flick” – no bag needed. Simply pick up a stick and flick the poop off the trail into the bush. Natural processes will take care of the rest in a day or two.
This goes for the application of any rule: use some sense.
georgewiman 