Photo: PAKUTASO
lifestyle

Kyoto city deals with doggy doo problems on its streets using nothing more than chalk

4 Comments
By Meg Murphy, SoraNews24

I grew up in a home where we always had at least one dog or cat around, and I couldn’t imagine life without a furry companion by my side. The one thing I could for sure do without, though, is the chore of picking up the “presents” they leave behind. I can’t say I’ve ever met anyone who enjoys the task either, but it comes with the territory of pet ownership and is just something you learn to deal with…unless you’re one of those uncouth barbarians who lets their dog do its business while out for a walk, and then leaves it, walking away and ignoring your duty as a pet parent.

Here in Japan, most dog owners are fairly diligent about cleaning up after their pooch – bringing along special bags to pick up and dispose of solid waste, and even carrying along a bottle of water to wash away their dog’s urine from the pavement. But there are still a number of people who think they can get away with shirking any responsibility of cleaning up what their pet leaves behind.

The city of Uji in Kyoto Prefecture has started taking measures to counter this problem of improperly discarded doo-doo, which it calls “Operation Yellow Chalk”. The measure is simple – anywhere that dog poop has been left behind, the excrement gets circled with some bright yellow chalk, and the date is written next to the scene of the crime. Seriously, that’s all it takes.

When the city first tried out this strategy last January, in a neighborhood where this was a particular problem, there were approximately 30 spots where feces had been left behind. Now, they report that you’ll find next to none. In other areas where the strategy has been implemented, the majority have reported a related decrease of people leaving behind their dog’s poop.

The Yellow Chalk method uses the bright-colored chalk to draw attention to the poop left behind, as a way to convey the message to the offending owner that their actions are a nuisance to others.

In addition to proving itself effective, the Yellow Chalk method is economical since it costs next to nothing. After word of Operation Yellow Chalk had spread, the city began receiving calls and emails from other municipalities regarding the strategy.

Netizens are impressed by the method’s simplicity and effectiveness:

“All you do is circle it with chalk and write the date? I wanna try this next time I see someone has left their dog’s poop.”

“I guess this works because they mostly take the same route on their walk, and it makes them realize they’re being watched.”

“This is likely effective since they realize people are watching, and that there’s a possibility they’ll be found out and punished.”

So dog owners out there, beware. If you won’t pick up after your pooch for the sake of others and for general cleanliness and good manners, then do it out of fear of being yellow chalked!

Source: Kyoto Shimbun via My Game News Flash 

Read more stories from SoraNews24.

-- SoftBank’s mascot dog behaving badly at bizarre press conference

-- Japanese net user shares clever idea for a (not so easy) DIY doghouse

-- Customer reviews on Amazon Japan are more priceless than the expensive items they’re about

© SoraNews24

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

4 Comments
Login to comment

Wherever you go, whatever you do, there is always someone watching you. Three times as likely when you stand out for some reason, like walking a dog, or being foreign in public.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

As a dog owner, I often see these people blatantly walking their dogs with no bags or any regard for others. I just don't understand what they are thinking. It is definitely the minority population of pet owners, but still way too many exist.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I went a step further once for an offender in my old neighborhood who's dog always pooped in the park near my house. The owner refused to clean it up, and only one or two people had approached him about it. The local Jichikai spent WEEKS talking about what to do, with some people shrugging and saying THEY would just go check daily and clean it up. Kids and adults alike were sometimes stepping in it. My neighbor was also pretty angry, equally at the fact that no one wanted to do anything. I said we should take a picture and stick it in the poop. She laughed, but later took one when the man walked his dog and left the poop in the park, as usual. She took a few (one was of him looking around to see if people were watching... evidently he either didn't see her or didn't know what she was doing). I helped her print it one that clearly showed his face and him holding the leash with the dog, and we stuck it to a chopstick and, sure enough when it happened again, stuck it in the poop. She told me it was gone later that day and she don't know who took it, and the poop, away, but apparently at the next jichikai meeting people were warned not to do it because the man went crazy and began screaming at said association demanding to know who took and 'posted' the pic. No doubt he was humiliated, and I saw him a few times after and with the evil eye I got I have no doubt he was suspicious, but the poop in the park stopped (probably just went elsewhere).

I think they should also write the names, if they know the dates and times and know who did it.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

My dog NEVER pooped on the pavements, only on the earth in the parks where I buried it and the trees and flowers "thanked us" ! (Must've been his "Police Training" !)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites