Editor:
I don't get it. On my morning walk with my dog, I passed many mounds of dog poop, including quite a few right in the middle of the sidewalk.
What are these people thinking when they let their dogs fill the public walkways with their excrement?
We've had a particular problem in one grassy area in West Sechelt.
When I moved here several years ago, I was impressed by how friendly and community focused people are on the Sunshine Coast. And yet a certain minority of dog owners care so little about their community that they pollute their neighbourhood freely, as if they didn't have any responsibilities to the people over the fence and down the street. I just don't understand this lack of simple consideration for others.
Perhaps an overt signal of social disapproval would shame the perpetrators into fulfilling their responsibility.
If, like me, you're offended by this carelessness and you see someone walking away after his or her dog has left its deposit, you could call out to remind them of their lapse. If you're a dog owner yourself and have an extra bag, offer it to them.
If you know who habitually fails to clean up after their dogs, perhaps let them know they stand out in the neighbourhood for lack of neighbourly pride.
If your children walk the dog, ask them to be sure to clean up after the animal. And finally, if you are the kind of person who disrespects your neighbours enough to leave dog poop in the public walkways, give yourself a shake.
Avril Chalmers, Sechelt
