Frustrated with the number of bags of dog poop he spotted around Metro Vancouver, A.P. Hovasse decided to flag the issue.
Literally.
Hovasse is a photographer and travels around the region taking photos, often of wildlife in local parks. While out he often comes across the bagged poop, which he says is particularly disgusting. It also makes no sense to him.
"They've gone halfway, but I wish someone would explain to me in easy language what they're doing (when they leave the bag behind)," he says. "What they're doing is polluting more than if the dog craps in the grass."
And he pins the issue to the people; dogs aren't the ones wrapping poop in plastic.
"I wouldn't ever blame the dogs," he says, noting that if it weren't for the human bagging the dog poop it'd dry up naturally, instead of sitting bagged for months.
In an effort to bring attention to the issue he made five little flags. Each, made out of a wooden pole, a piece of paper and scotch tape, says "REALLY? WTF DOGWALKERS! Don't be a jerk, take your shit to the garbage can located nearby."
The hope is that people will see them and be shamed out of doing it themselves. There's also the fact it brings attention to the issue, which many people literally walk by without thinking twice.
Hovasse made five flags earlier this month and thought they'd stay in his pack for a while, until he took a trip to Boundary Bay where he found three bags dropped, fully loaded. He says they were all within about 50 m of a garbage can for dog poop.
"They were within sight of the garbage bin for dog poo," he says, noting that a lot of parks are well set up with dog poop resources, and adds that many dog walkers do use the system in place.
He then took photos of his flags and posted them on social media. The response was mixed.
"I've got a lot of response, not all of it supportive," he says. "I think it's a good way to get people talking."
Some accused him of adding to the pollution. In the future, Hovasse says if he does it again (and he probably will) he'll leave the tape out.
Others have said it's disgusting he poked holes in the bag, but he thinks it's more disgusting to leave the bag there for however long it takes to degrade with moist dog poop inside.
"Maybe I'm just helping to air them out," he says.
The issues people take up with Hovasse are minimal, he adds.
"People are nitpicking at me and they're welcome to but it's not going to stop me," he says.
So far he's only put three flags out, but more are probably on the way.
Part of the issue is the lack of repercussions for those who do bag and drop their dog's droppings. Hovasse understands there's little authorities can do, so he hopes to get into the heads of those leaving their dog's bagged leavings.
"Something needs to be done to bring this up in the consciousness of dog walkers," he says.
