The Guardian reports that since the Coronavirus pandemic, inconsiderate dog owners in Britain have been hanging or tossing plastic bags that contain dog feces on trees instead of using the designated bins. Unfortunately, this is still the case years after the pandemic struck.
Britain has a dog feces disposal problem that has spiraled out of control, and anti-litter campaigners are sick of it. According to “Keep Britain Tidy” environmentalist Emma Powell, most dog owners shy away from touching pet waste bins over fears of catching germs.
During the pandemic, people became more aware of germs that can make them sick. Even now, many dog owners are still careful about it. “There is this element of revulsion and disgust because they are overly concerned about bacteria,” Powell said.
The sight of dog poo bags hanging on trees has sullied some of Britain’s most beautiful natural areas. This is despite waste bins being just a few meters away.
Dangers of leaving dog feces on trees
Naomi, a ranger in the New Forest, recently collected a whopping 63 bags of discarded dog poop. within their woodland area. Surprisingly, there’s a pet waste bin nearby.
Sadly, this foul problem has dire environmental consequences. While addressing the persistent issue, the New Forest shared, “If left, it may harm wildlife and livestock, pollute our waterways, impact soil ecology and wild plants, or just spoil someone else’s day!”
According to Powell, this illegal waste disposal tactic also endangers rare ecosystems such as chalk grasslands. Chalk grasslands are known to be nutrient-deficient. Therefore, the addition of dog feces alters this ecosystem’s soil composition, threatening their survival.
In Oct. 2023, Sussex World reported the Kingley Vale National Nature Reserve issued a “plea from the trees” to dog owners who visit their reserve to discourage them from leaving bags with dog waste on their trees.
As of now, Powell is creating awareness of the growing menace with the hashtag #BagItBinIt. She hopes this will help restore Britain to its former glory.
