I Am The Poop Fairy For Blog The Change

by Amy Burkert on Jul 15th, 2011

Tagged as:	Be The Change For Animals, dog travel, pet travel

BeTheChangeforAnimals.com hosts a Blog the Change event each quarter. It’s an opportunity for bloggers to report on their experiences helping animals, honor someone who inspires them, request support from their readers, and urge others get out there and make a difference.

Last quarter I committed to going beyond simply giving my blog over for a day to raise awareness for a cause. I am going to DO something to make a difference.

If you’ve hung around here long, you know that I’m appalled by people who do not pick up their dog’s waste in public. What goes on in your own backyard is your business – but when you refuse to scoop your dog’s poop on trails, in parks, or on the side walk, your disgusting behavior reflects badly on all dog owners. Places that have welcomed dogs for years are changing their policies and prohibiting our pets because of you. Other places will not even consider allowing pets because they don’t want to deal with the waste that would undoubtedly be left behind – and I can’t blame them. But I’m angry that my options are being limited – and I’m fighting back.

I’m a firm believer that you shouldn’t complain about something unless you’re willing to take action to make it better. So, my Blog the Change project this quarter is to help restore the reputations of all the responsible dog owners out there. No, I will not be slinging poo … I will be picking it up.

In addition to picking up after my own dogs, every day this quarter I will pick up at least one doggy deposit that does not belong to Ty or Buster.

My goals for taking on “Poop Fairy” duties are as follows:

One person picking up poop will not make a noticeable impact on the amount of unclaimed dog waste in the world. However, if people see me picking up poop left behind by others, perhaps I can help reverse some of the damage being done to the reputations of all the good dog owners out there. ** Long shot goal: After seeing me, people will think it’s cool to pick up poop and follow suit. **
They say it takes 30 days to develop a new habit. Getting used to picking up poop that does not belong to the dogs I love and care for, however, might take a little longer to stick. Perhaps by the end of the quarter I’ll have overcome the feeling of revolt I experience each time I reach for a pile of abandoned poop and I’ll be able to continue this experiment indefinitely.

And now for the challenge:

In addition to picking up after your own dogs, will you pledge to pick up one pile of unclaimed poop? Could you do it every day for a week? Anyone brave enough to join me for a month? If you’ll commit to picking up with me every day for the quarter, you’re my hero. We may have to start a club – this could become a movement. Who’s with me?!?

Finally, are there any dog waste bag companies out there that want to sponsor our poo-picking endeavor?

Today is the last day to enter our contest to win a Thundershirt!

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Comments

Comment Archive

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 29, 2011 at 3:47 am

I saw that post too, Mike! I think it's an interesting approach and I bet that just having a dog's DNA on file will be a big deterrent to leaving the poop behind. I bet they never actually send the poop out for testing - just the treat of being able to do it is enough.

Mike Webster Jul 29, 2011 at 2:14 am

I just ran across "Do the Doo," the July 1, 2011 post on the Cindy Lu's Muse blog at http://cindylusmuse.blogspot.com. It talks about an intriguing, albeit potentially controversial, new weapon in this war that has Blinded Me With Science. (Apologies to Thomas Dolby.)

The Dog, the Universe, and Me « Something Wagging This Way Comes Jul 28, 2011 at 6:17 am

[...] Amy Burker’s post on becoming the “Poop Fairy,” there’s been a raft of posts and comments in the blogiverse about a dog person’s [...]

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 27, 2011 at 11:36 pm

Hi Linda, I hope you enjoyed your vacation! Thank you - and thank you for helping to rescue the stray poops. No one that has seen me picking up poop has joined in yet - but now I've got a new goal. =)

Linda Jul 27, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Sorry I missed this blog, I was on Vacation, but I'm sharing it now! I have always done a weekly poop patrol at my neighborhood dog park for all the reasons you mentioned. While it's nice that people usually thank me for doing it, what makes me really happy is when I see others join in. Thanks for the reminder that all of us good dog owners should make it a habit of going that little step beyond, so that others can avoid stepping in, if you know what I mean.

Favorite Video Friday – Dog Doogity “Bag it up!” « No Dog About It Blog Jul 21, 2011 at 11:36 pm

[...] Dog Hate Me and her Spay/Neuter PSAs, and in a nod to Amy Burkert from Go Pet Friendly and her post “I Am The Poop Fairy For Blog The Change”, I give you “Dog Doogity” Dog Poop PSA for ScoopPoop.org by [...]

KimHalligan1 Jul 19, 2011 at 10:24 am

I'll be happy to take the poop fairy challenge. Have poo bags- fill er up.

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 18, 2011 at 3:32 pm

It does seem that cleaning up other people's crap is part of life sometimes. =) Better to make the world a better place by getting rid of it, than leave for someone else to step in!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 18, 2011 at 3:31 pm

Sometimes you have to be a little forward to make your point. Good for your friend - it this woman can't pick up after her dog, she shouldn't be using the dog park. In fact, that should be a rule - if you get caught not picking up after your dog, you get banned from the park. People might pay better attention then.

Jul 18, 2011 at 3:28 pm

Poop Fairies United! What an elite and prestigious club!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 18, 2011 at 3:26 pm

Wow, Kate!! I had no idea the poop fairy movement would spread around the world. With Kenzo in Denmark and you in Korea, we are now legitimate international association. Power to the poop fairies!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 18, 2011 at 3:24 pm

Thank you, Peggy! And welcome to the club. :-)

Jul 18, 2011 at 2:01 pm

I will join you! When I take Kelly for her walks, we see lots of poo, so I'll commit to picking up an extra bagful on each walk!

Kate Jul 18, 2011 at 4:57 am

I'm a world ambassador for poop here in Korea! I pick up after my dog, and others - especially in the park! And my neighbors have taken notice! Progress!!

MelF Jul 18, 2011 at 3:20 am

I am SOOOOO on board for this one! Like you Amy, I hate it when people don't pick up after their dogs. My first thought is that the person must be too lazy to pick up their dog's poop. Maybe that's not the case, but it is the impression I am always left with when I see someone watch their dog poop and then just walks away. There are many of us at our local dog park who have adopted the poop fairy mentality. When we see a poop we pick it up, regardless if it came from our dog or not. We also call attention to people who don't see their dog pooping and offer them a bag - a not so subtle a hint. The last time I was there, a friend told me he picked up a dog's poop after he told the owner the dog was pooping and she ignored him. When he saw her at the front he handed her the bag! We tend to be a little militant about it, but the message does get heard. :) I'll continue my poop fairiness in honor of you now!

Coz086 Jul 18, 2011 at 2:18 am

This is such a wonderful idea! and I love the poop fairy theme! That would look great on a t-shirt! :) a little fairy carry a poop bag! Count us in! We don't mind picking up someone else's crap every once in awhile, it's part of life isn't it?

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 17, 2011 at 11:10 pm

Lucky for her, you're a better person that I am!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 17, 2011 at 11:09 pm

You dogs crack me up ... beyond the call of doody ... too funny! But, I do like the GoPetFriendly.com poop bag holder idea. I may have to work on that. =)

The Road Dogs Jul 17, 2011 at 6:17 pm

This is what we would call going "above and beyond the call of doody"! BOL!!! But all kidding aside, you're so right about this. Responsible pet parenthood includes picking up after your furkids! Here's a link to some items that might make it a bit more fun http://www.etsy.com/search/handmade?search_submit=&q=poop+bag+holder&page=1 Hey - maybe you can get someone to design on with your logo on it and SELL it! Turning doody into dollars! Okay, we'll stop now :) The Road Dogs

Ruby's Raiser Jul 17, 2011 at 5:47 am

I'm with ya on this, I've been Poop Fairying (ferrying) for quite some time. Even after I got told by some clueless loon AS i was picking up the random alien poop (meaning not Kiva's poo) who was like, "YOU BETTER PICK UP THAT POOP." I just smiled and gave her a big thumbs up rather than fling the poo bag at her. :)

Richa Jul 16, 2011 at 8:23 pm

Great idea... the alley near our house has been dubbed poop alley or this purpose.. a parking lot alley in the middle of downtown with a little green patch.! yeah u gonna get tons of poop left behind there!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 16, 2011 at 3:48 pm

I've gone 'round and 'round about this. People generally don't do things they believe are wrong - so how is it that these people consider abandoning their dog's poop okay? Perhaps I need to interview your neighbor so we can all get the inside scoop on this! =)

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 16, 2011 at 3:48 pm

Thanks so much for joining the volunteer pooper-scooper club, Chandra!

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 16, 2011 at 3:45 pm

Good for you Michele! I was walking down the street in Philly one day when someone pulled up to a stop sign and threw a soda can out their window. I walked over, picked it up, and deposited in the trash can that was only a few feet away. When I looked back at the driver, he'd shrunk down in his seat and clearly felt embarrassed. I hope I humiliated him enough to keep him from ever doing that again!

Michele C. Hollow Jul 16, 2011 at 3:30 pm

I will definitely be a part of this. For my neighbor's 70th birthday, she asked that we Don't give presents. Instead, I gave her 10 dog walks for her dog Daisy. When I've walked Daisy, I've also picked up stray poop. I also have picked up other garbage on the street. My son sees this and he is starting to do the same. I carry plastic bags and tissues, and now I just started carrying hand sanitizer because some of this trash makes me feel like I have cooties. So, Yay to you and others who pick up trash. By the way, I've always picked up trash. Years ago, I saw someone in NYC drop a can of soda on the street. I yelled at him to pick it up. A cop was nearby, and he laughed at me. When I approached him about it, he said there are much bigger problems than enforcing litter laws. I think that has changed. While people still litter, others like you and me, pick this crap up. Thanks!

Kathy (Your Holistic Dog) Jul 16, 2011 at 3:08 pm

Amy, this is a peeve of mine too! There's one guy across the street from my condo who let's his pitty (unleashed I might add) dash across the street and crap on the hill where our mailboxes are. His dog's name is Karma....ironic...I can only wish he gets some. I just can't figure out the mentality of these dog owners. If you take on the responsibility of a dog, you take on the duties of picking up after them. One thing I've noticed too is that when it snows, there seems to be even more poop....do these people think that the poo magically disappears in the snow? Grrr.

Chandra Jul 16, 2011 at 2:11 am

While I think it's going to be an uphill battle to get people to think that picking up poop is cool - I'm behind you! I pledge to pick up poop left behind the next time I encounter it. When I think about it, the Portland, OR neighborhood I live in has the least amount of illegally dumped poop of any city I lived in recently. But I'm sure not that I've said that, I'm sure I'll run into some! -Chandra at Daley's Dog Years

Sarah Byrnes Jul 16, 2011 at 1:39 am

Yes, Yes, Yes! I blogged about this recently myself. Dog poop is a public health issue. The EPA considers it "pollution" because it gets swept up by rainwater and winds up in storm drains and nearby water bodies. I like this idea. Count me in!

Kolchak & Jodi @ Kol's Notes Jul 16, 2011 at 1:14 am

We think that is a great idea. Our neighborhood is pretty good but every so often we find a pile and pick it up. The world would be a much cleaner place if everyone played poop fairy sometimes.

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 16, 2011 at 12:50 am

It's so sad, Julie! And I think in a situation like that, irresponsibility is contagious. Once it starts, it's difficult to recover from.

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 16, 2011 at 12:47 am

Shauna - I was in the Apple store today and pulled up the blog to check the comments. (It's sick, I know - but that's not the point.) The point is that I laughed hysterically at your comment. Who would have thought I'd ever aspire to goading people into picking up poop? =)

Kelley Denz Jul 15, 2011 at 9:25 pm

Great article, I couldn't agree more. I have been cleaning up other dogs poop for years. Doesn't make a huge difference but the way I see if I'm cleaning up poo might as well fill the bag =)

Shauna @ Fido & Wino Jul 15, 2011 at 6:14 pm

Good for you- great idea! I'll do it! I'll pick up some crap! :) (it really takes a person with a certain amount of klout to inspire people to pick up poop, by the way! ;)) Shauna

Jen K (Back Alley Soapbox) Jul 15, 2011 at 5:53 pm

Ha! This is GREAT! I definitely know some local areas where this would be an easy change for the better to implement (some even conveniently close to a garbage bin). I may scowl at my neighbours for not picking up, but I can at least do something about it - even if it is a bit gross. Excellent cause.

Jen K (Back Alley Soapbox) Jul 15, 2011 at 5:53 pm

Julie Melfi Jul 15, 2011 at 5:48 pm

I lived in a "pet friendly" apartment complex when we moved back to Oregon and I have to say that it was the most awful experience I have ever had! My poor dog had to navigate around so much poo - I was so disgusted with the laziness of the people that lived there! The parks that we frequent seem to have some very responsible pet owners, but I'm always willing and able to offer a bag, or clean up random poops!

Julie Melfi Jul 15, 2011 at 5:48 pm

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 15, 2011 at 5:23 pm

Exactly, Debra! I couldn't agree more - if we want our pet to be allowed to join us, we have to take responsibility for them. That's what makes the irresponsible dog owners so infuriating! Thanks so much for what you're doing.

Debra Martin Jul 15, 2011 at 4:39 pm

AGREED! We live 5 minutes from Choctaw Lake but instead take Kirby to Eupora Lake which is thirty minutes away because they allow dogs. Not only do we pick up Kirby's poop, we pick up any poop we see, and I have been known to hand poop bags to owners whose dog just pooped. Kirby loves to swim so we don't want to lose this lake privilege!!!!! Debby and Kirby the Dorkie

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 15, 2011 at 3:48 pm

Thanks Hawk! I'm sorry it's been so hot for you to travel, but I really appreciate your person for helping pick up the poop. It drives me crazy too, when the bags and trash cans are provided and people still don't pick up! How much easier could they make it?!?

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 15, 2011 at 3:48 pm

You rock, Leo!! =D

Amy@GoPetFriendly Jul 15, 2011 at 3:46 pm

That's something that mystifies me - many people will bag the poop and then leave it on the trail. Crazy! Just tie it to your belt loop or your dog's harness or backpack. Buster always packs out his own poop! Good for you Rox - you're definitely a member of the club.

Roxanne Hawn Jul 15, 2011 at 3:14 pm

Well, since I only leave the house like once a week, I'm not sure I can do it every day, but lately, I've been grabbing bagged poop on the trail that people leave behind. I mean, I assume they plan to pick it back up on their way back to the parking lot, but I've been grabbing the bags and taking it with me ... for this exact reason ... I don't want people to think poorly of ALL dog peeps. This is a great campaign. Good luck!

Hawk aka BrownDog Jul 15, 2011 at 1:25 pm

Hi Y'all! That is my pet peeve too! I hate it at rest stops when I get out and there is poo from others who have gone before. There are bags and containers for disposal...why can't they use them? After a trip, I will usually have to rant to get it out of my system. My Human says I have the right to be disgusted; she gets equally disgusted with the humans who use the rest rooms and leave a mess behind or fail to flush. We do pick up after others and always have. However, I'll only be making one or two trips this summer...too hot...so won't have an opportunity for my Human to pick up on any schedule. However, my Human says she'll do it when we make the trip we make to the mountains. Happy pooper scooping! Hawk aka BrownDog

Kenzo the Hovawart Jul 15, 2011 at 9:15 am

Great idea, I am with you! The Poop Fairy movement just went international :)