The respectful thing to do when hiking with your dog is to bring bags to pick up your pup's poop and dispose of it properly. The disrespectful thing to do is leave the full bag on the ground by a sign that asks people to pick up dog waste and throw it in a trash can.
One frustrated Redditor found a whole pile of pet poo bags while out on a hike.
"Dog owners leaving the dog s*** bags along every hiking trail," the user wrote in a post on the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit. "The only difference between this and littering in nature (which these 'lovers of the environment' would never dare do!) is there's actual dog s*** in their litter."
Some commenters pointed out that it is common practice for people to leave their pet waste bags in a spot like that and then pick them up on their way out of the park so they don't have to carry them the whole hike. Others noted that it would be nice if there were a trash can next to the sign.
However, the OP added in the comments, "There's plenty of cans a stone's throw away, plus these bags were scattered all along the trail."
While it's understandable not to want to carry a bag of feces while you hike, it's part of being a pet parent. People also don't want to look at a pile of dog poop bags while they're trying to enjoy nature. Plus, the odds are that many people forget to pick up the bags on their way out, leaving the litter in the park.
Hiking is an excellent way to connect with nature. By observing and respecting the environment as it is, we ensure the preservation of these ecosystems for future generations.
Many studies show that spending time in nature reduces stress and benefits our physical and mental health. However, disrespecting the environment can be stressful for others trying to enjoy nature.
Littering also negatively impacts wildlife, causing animals to die from ingesting plastic. According to the UN Environment Programme, approximately 2,000 garbage trucks worth of plastic end up in our oceans, rivers, and lakes every day. Plastic can take hundreds of years to break down and sheds harmful microplastics.
Most people in the comments were also mildly infuriated with the disrespectful scene.
"I see it all the time on so many trails. It's my biggest pet peeve. Nobody leaves full poopy diapers in aisle 7 at the grocery store so why do dog owners think they're so special?" one person mentioned.
"Bad owners, BAD!" one person wrote, hilariously scolding the dog owners.
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