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Make a Community Poop Bag Share Station, Help Neighbors Remember To #ScoopThatPoop

9/23/2013

31 Comments

 
Typist: Bethany
Last weekend, on a short walk through my neighborhood, every time I stooped down to pick up after one of my dogs, I found myself also picking up a pile left-behind by someone else. I thought about all of the complaints I read about this same problem all over the world, in neighborhoods and parks, there are dog owners leaving piles of poop behind. So I asked myself what I can do to get my neighbors to learn why they must scoop that poop? How can I help clean up my neighborhood besides constantly picking up after other dogs? And I realized my neighborhood needs community poop bag share stations.
The first place I saw homemade poop bag dispensers was at the neighborhood off-leash park over a decade ago. Most were installed "In Memory" of the dogs of park regulars. These community poop bag share stations didn't last long; they broke, flooded, or were filled with trash, but generous donors usually put up new one. More recently, I've seen community poop bag share stations at one of our favorite city parks. I appreciate that the volunteers who installed these stations also put up informational signage.  I decided to do something similar with the poop bag stations I put up in my neighborhood. Left behind pet waste is everyone's problem. The whole neighborhood, those with and without dogs, can come together to educate each other and help neighbors with dogs scoop that poop, every time, without fail.

My hope is that years of experience with community poop bag share stations will mean that I could make some that are nice looking,
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Fauntleroy Park, Seattle, Washington
durable and educational. It disgusts me when I see irresponsible pet owners use pet waste stations to improperly dispose of their pets waste, so I made my dispenser small and difficult to dump waste into. I put educational signage on and near my community poop bag share stations in hopes of helping to educate my neighbors on the importance of scooping that poop. Hopefully these first stations I made will be durable but only time will tell. Below are directions on how to make your own community poop bag share stations. Maybe you can help to clean up your neighborhood too!*
What you'll need to build your own community poop bag share station:
  • 1 liter water bottle
  • scissors
  • utility knife
  • needle-nose pliers
  • two zip ties
  • paper, pen & clear contact paper (optional)
  • carpenter staples, nails or other fasteners
Tips:
  • cut the hole in the bottle small enough that rain will not soak the bags, wind will not blow the bags out and it is difficult for someone to deposit a full bag
  • place the station on the lee of the pole, fence, etc, so it will get less weather damage
  • make an educational sign describing what the community poop bag share station is and why it is necessary to scoop that poop
Picture
An excellent example of a community poop bag sharing station in Fauntleroy Park, Seattle, Washington
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Making a cut out on one side of the bottle.
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My scissors went in easily but a knife can also start the cut.
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Remember not to make the cut-out too large.
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1) Rectangular cut-out
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2) Make four zip tie holder holes on the opposite side of the bottle from the cut-out, two at the top corners and two at the bottom corners
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3) Insert zip tie into one hole
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4) Use pliers to insert zip tie through adjacent hole
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Top zip tie holder completed.
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5) Repeat steps 3 & 4 with the second zip tie holder.
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6) Place a note about how the community poop bag share station works on the poop bag dispenser and cover with clear contact paper (Optional.)
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7) Fasten your poop bag dispenser to an approved place* in your neighborhood or park. I used staples through the zip ties on both sides of the water bottle.
Picture
Here is our new neighborhood poop bag share station.
*In Seattle, it is legal to temporarily post signs on certain sign and utility poles. Please check the laws in your area before posting signs or putting up community poop bag exchanges. Sometimes working with your municipality to install poop bag holders will help raise awareness and benefit more people/neighborhoods.
Picture
Thank you to Sugar the Golden Retriever and Dogster for the great "5 Reasons Dog Owners Must Scoop That Poop" infographic.

If you have made or plan to make a poop bag share station for your neighborhood, please let us know. We would love to see and read about all of the creative ways you come up with to educate your neighbors on how left behind dog poop affects us all, those with dogs and those without. We Cascadian Nomads hope through education and working together, we can make sure that even on those days you forget a bag, you can Scoop That Poop!

31 Comments
Ruckus the Eskie link
9/22/2013 04:24:09 pm

That is an awesome post for diy bag dispenser! I hope the community accepts and contributes.

Reply
Bethany
9/22/2013 04:35:00 pm

Thanks, Ruckus. I hope so too. I am all set not to be mad if it gets torn down but I don't want to be responsible for litter while I am trying to do something good!

Reply
Molly The Wally link
9/22/2013 06:43:35 pm

What a clever idea. We are all for keeping our hood poop free. Have a marvellous Monday.
Best wishes Molly

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:12:58 am

Thank you, Molly. Sounds like your 'hood could use some of these!

Reply
SlimDoggy link
9/22/2013 10:22:40 pm

This is a great idea and one I've been considering for one particular stretch of open space near us. It seems to have become the neighborhood dumping ground and it's pretty disgusting. Maybe if I put one of these ups folks might get the hint!

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:14:52 am

I think the do-it-yourself dispenser and the educational signage go hand-in-hand, especially in an open space/park. It is shocking how many people don't know dog poop is not natural and it is toxic to leave it laying around!

Reply
Jessica @ Life with Duke link
9/22/2013 11:20:40 pm

I love this idea! I might have to make a few to put around the neighborhood. I love how you posted the sign too, I think so many people don't realize how harmful it can be if not tended to.

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:17:23 am

Thanks, Jessica, and I hope you do put some up. Too many people think that if the dog poop isn't somewhere it will get stepped in, then they can just leave it. Helping neighbors who forgot bags is kind but education is the best way to get that poop scooped!

Reply
Sheba's Life Story link
9/23/2013 12:00:15 am

Pawsome post, That diy poop bag dispenser is a great idea thanks for sharing.

Sheba.

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:18:38 am

Thanks, Sheba. I hope lots of people will start putting them and educational signs up!

Reply
Taryn link
9/23/2013 01:34:04 am

My neighborhood HOA provides poop bag stations with a trash can throughout our subdivision. Nothing gets me madder than seeing poops on the ground within a step or two of one of the stations. People are so frigging lazy or too good to pick up their dogs poop! Grrrrr! The other one that gets me mad is the person that bags the poop and then litters by throwing the now full bag to the ground later in their walk. Why bother in the first place if you aren't going to follow through? I just don't get it!

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:25:14 am

We see those full poop bags tossed aside everywhere. Must be people who know there is no poop fairy but believe in a litter fairy! I have also seen poop piles next to bag dispensers and full poop bags tossed next to garbage cans. I don't think any amount of education or kindness will change these sorts of lazy peoples ways but it never hurts to try! Are there signs up in your development about the dangers of leaving dog poop laying around? Are you allowed to post signs? Maybe for those who think they are too good to stoop a few posters of glamorous celebrities scooping their dogs poop would help!

Reply
Oz the Terrier link
9/23/2013 03:02:03 am

BRILLIANT!!! I love the idea. You are truly a Scooper Hero!
*high paws*
Oz

Reply
Bethany
9/23/2013 05:26:50 am

Thanks, Oz, we hope it helps and catches on. You are so pawesome for hosting another one of these hops!

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Reilly & Denny link
9/23/2013 05:44:06 am

that is brilliant - we will have to try that at out park!

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:27:42 pm

Thank you! Hopefully you can help clean up your park. We'd love to see photos of the station you make.

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SUGAR: Golden Woofs link
9/23/2013 06:31:26 am

We've been noticing town's poop station. It is well supplied w/ poop bags but its missing some important information. The issue is getting permit(s) on posting them. Many towns here have lots of restrictions. Golden Happy on what you did, PAWSOME!!! We plan to have more infographic that everyone can share. Lots of Golden Thanks for joining our hop and helps us SPREAD #ScoopThatPoop. Lots of Golden Woofs, Sugar

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:35:00 pm

I truly think that the lack of information about the danger of leaving dog poop laying around is more of a problem than people forgetting bags to clean-up. I look forward to having more infographics to share and post! Once less people believe the archaic myth that dog poop is natural or a fertilizer, more people will scoop it!

Reply
GizmoGeodog link
9/23/2013 07:18:34 am

Bethany this is a great idea...we're lucky in that since so many dogs are walked on the path around our lake the city has installed a number of poop bag stations along the path, but for so many neighborhoods this would be great and your directions are clear and easy to follow...Shared this post around on FB and G+

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:44:55 pm

Thanks and thank you for sharing!

Reply
Jan's Funny Farm link
9/23/2013 08:48:55 am

What a neat idea!

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:45:46 pm

Thank you! Let us know how it goes if you try it out.

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Ann Staub link
9/23/2013 12:58:02 pm

Oh what an awesome idea! Hopefully more people will get the right idea!

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:47:36 pm

I certainly hope so, Ann. Thanks for co-hosting the hop this time!

Reply
Jessica @ YouDidWhatWithYourWeiner link
9/23/2013 10:46:58 pm

I have always loved the idea of homemade, community poop bag dispensers. Peer pressure has proven to be really effective in getting people to pick up after their dogs and these stations certainly send the message that others think it is the right thing for them to do.

Did you really put the station on a power or light pole though? I thought that was illegal in Seattle? I know I have heard stories of garage sale signs being traced back the owner and then being fined. I am not sure if that was in Seattle though and I don't know how often that is actually enforced. Just curious.

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:16:57 pm

The sign posting law in Seattle has flip-flopped over the years but the law currently on the books (linked in the bottom of the post) allows temporary sign posting on certain poles. If my neighborhood embraces these stations, I may contact the city about permission to make them permanent somehow.

Reply
BoingyDog link
9/24/2013 04:47:03 am

I LOVE this - this is so cool and such a great idea! I'm gonna see what I can do in my neighborhood too - been brainstorming lately!

Reply
Bethany
9/24/2013 04:50:20 pm

Sometimes helping neighbors clean up after their dog can be as simple as asking them if they need a bag or making sure they know that dog poop spreads disease. We hope you'll share with us what you try out in your neighborhood!

Reply
Greyhounds CAN Sit link
9/26/2013 11:55:17 am

I wish you every success, I think this is awesome community spirit. Do you find a reluctance to pick up dog poop corresponds to having nowhere to dispose of it near by?

Reply
Emma link
9/27/2013 01:50:40 am

Now that is a super creative idea! We don't have much trouble in my neighborhood, but if we did, that would be great!

Reply
Francesca Villa link
10/6/2013 09:38:02 pm

I love this blogpost! You guys totally deserve a round of applause for this great idea!! I will have to share this on twitter right away!!

Reply

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