Ask Yadi: Do I have to clean up after my dog when he poops away from home?

Are lawn signs a necessary reminder to clean up after your dog? - Photo by Yadi Rodriguez, cleveland.com

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Do I have to clean up after my dog when he poops away from home?

This really should be a no-brainer answer. Of course, you need to clean up after your furbabies when they go potty away from home. I mean, it’s up to you if you want to accumulate doo-doo in your own yard but when you are away from home it is your responsibility as a pet parent.

After all, they can’t clean up after themselves.

I know that my dog’s poop smells and attracts flies. I am pretty sure yours will, too. Smelly excrement is not something that is OK to leave behind on someone else’s property.

More and more, I see signs on people’s lawns reminding us that pet poop is not fertilizer. Have we really turned into a society that needs to be reminded of this? If so, shame on us.

As a fur mom to my lovely baby Rocco, I need to be extra careful with him and where he goes. Even though he stays in our own grass and yard, I don’t have any assurance that the front lawn is safe. Why? because there have been times when someone’s pet has left behind a not-so-nice gift and their walker/parent has not cleaned up after them.

Those little plastic poop bags are very inexpensive, and you can find them everywhere, including the dollar store. Please be a responsible pet owner and carry them with you whenever you leave your own yard with your dog.

It’s not the most pleasant thing to do but it is the right thing to do.

Once you have picked up the poop and tied up the bag what do you do?

Take it home with you and dump it in your own trash can. I had a reader tell me that she had someone walk up her driveway to dump the dog’s dirty bag in her trash can.. What?! That is crazy and a terrible thing to do. Your garbage needs to go home with you.

You don’t want your poop bag to get crushed by others’ trash and break in someone else’s trash can. Not fair to them.

Kudos and thank you to all those pet parents that always clean up after their furbabies. We all appreciate you.

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Do you have a question or an etiquette predicament that you want advice on? Send me an “Ask Yadi” email at [email protected]

Yadi Rodriguez, columnist for Cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer

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