Drinking my morning coffee, I listened to the CBC radio follow up on their recently posted story about the scourge of uncollected dog feces throughout Vancouver. According to the CBC, the problem is so widespread that it is set to break the City’s records for the most amount of complaints received in any single year. Of course, no one likes to step in dog shit, and the rant-line messages re-enforce that reality as a second day’s worth of angry callers launch into tirades about horrible dog owners.

A record breaking number of complaints, I think to myself, that must be a lot of dog doo. I watch the CBC report with interest: that record breaking number of complaints? Forty-five. That’s right, 45 complaints – possibly set to break last year’s record of (wait for it) forty-eight complaints.

I’ll readily admit that dog shit in our parks and on our sidewalks in unacceptable, and an understandably infuriating and disgusting problem for anyone who steps in or has to clean it up – presumably even more so if you don’t actually own a dog. It’s an issue the media loves to capitalize on because it elicits such emotional reactions. But really, forty-five complaints in 11 months, that’s news? To my mind, stories like this are the worst kind of Yellow Journalism, a cheap ploy to engage the audience by way of exaggeration and sensationalism. The problem with this kind of sloppy and inflammatory reporting of course, is that it polarizes the issue and pillories all dog owners, tarring them with one generalized brush stroke of antisocial irresponsibility.

But let’s take a look at the numbers – by the City’s own estimates there are 140,000 dogs in Vancouver (with only 30,000 of them licensed, but that’s another story). For argument’s sake: let’s assume that the city is wildly off base with their estimate and there are only 50,000 dogs in the city. Let’s make another big assumption and say that half of those dogs never leave their home or yard and effectively only 25,000 dogs are walked on our city street and parks. Of those 25,000 dogs let’s pretend that they only make one bowel movement a day. Twenty-five thousand dogs multiplied by 365 days – that’s over nine MILLION dog turds per year! If dog owners were overwhelmingly irresponsible – this city would be literally swimming in dog shit. Even if 5% of our low-balled urban dog population were irresponsible and failed to collect after their dog, that’d be half a million turds per year about 4,000 per square kilometre.

It becomes abundantly clear when you look at the numbers then, that owners not picking up after their pets is an anomaly, not the rule. The kind of people that don’t pick up are probably the same kind of people that litter, or run red lights or bicycle on the sidewalk – they’re self-centred jerks.

Now that we’ve identified the problem what do we do about it and what do we do with all the dog waste that IS dutifully collected and deposited in the garbage where it goes on to be entombed in a plastic baggie in a landfill?

Even if a misanthropic 5% of the owners of our low-balled overall urban dog population were irresponsible and failed to collect after their dog every time they left a deposit, that’d be half a million turds per year or about 4,000 per square kilometre.

In September, 2006, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation announced the formation of an all-volunteer task force, made up of citizens with proven expertise in specific areas of stakeholder interest and concern.

Members were charged with the task of developing a strategy that would be a balanced compromise respecting and accommodating all sides of the issue, and all legitimate uses for the public lands.

Through 2006 and 2007, I sat as one of the six members of that task force. I must confess to being something of a Pollyanna going into the process, I genuinely thought we would be crafting policies that would make things better for everyone – I had no idea the extent to which some Vancouverites had an intense dislike for dogs and their owners, to the extent that they wanted a complete moratorium on off leash areas.

The task force ended rather acromoniously and the media branded it a failure, although I am happy to say that many of the recommendations we suggested then, have been adopted into official policy today.

This blog will unpack some of the work we did and explore some options for improving the opportunities for dog owners and non dog owners alike to enjoy and share Vancouver’s Park System.

Our 2007 report – the findings of the Task Force and the recommendations and action plans suggested by a majority of its members (with the help and input from literally hundreds of concerned and caring Vancouverites) – can be dowloaded and read here.

Here’s what I wrote in my application to join the task force, back in 2006:

My name is Pete Fry. I have lived in Vancouver my entire life, I am
actively involved in my community, I’m a home owner, taxpayer, dog owner and park user.

I have enjoyed the company and therapeutic benefits of dogs since I was

a child. I do occasional volunteer work with the City of Vancouver

Animal Shelter and own a shelter rescue dog, that I exercise regularly

in Strathcona Park. As I am active and approachable in both my

neighbourhood and the dog community, I have had the opportunity to

glean a great deal of insight into the divergent views on urban dogs;

from dog owners to park workers to street people to sports players to

parents to new Canadians.

I have more than a passing interest and insight into urban development and sustainability.

I am well aware of the pressure on our urban parks, with a dwindling

supply of land and growing population of both humans and dogs vying for

a finite amount of green space. Like many urbanites, I do not own a car

– and in that context appreciate the need for accessible amenities for

all citizens to enjoy – be it for sports, play, dogs or just enjoying

the fresh air and flowers.

Over the years, and in conversation with other dog owners and park

users, I have developed some of my own ideas and concepts towards

mitigating some of the expressed concerns, and mollifying some of the

escalating tension over our parks. This task force would seem to be the

perfect forum to present some of these initiatives, which include:

– specifically designed, designated and appropriately landscaped “dog

toilet” areas.

– specific collection and re-use of dog waste in an environmentally

responsible manner.

– public education about dogs and the basics of their behaviour, with

specifically targeted programs for new Canadians, many of whom are not

familiar with urban dogs as pets.

– considering the specific needs of dogs in establishing off leash

areas, with regard to proximity to playgrounds, sports fields,

skateboard bowls, etc, and how more dog facilities might be established

with less space.

– developing a strategy that anticipates the growth in homeless

population with dogs, and recognizes the therapeutic benefits dogs

provide to marginalized people.

In my professional capacity, I am a 37 year old self-employed graphic

artist, and as such am used to committee work and consensus building,

for both public sector and corporate clientele, on a variety of

budgets. My work allows me to tailor my schedule as need be the case to

facilitate involvement in your committee.

I hope you consider me for involvement in your task force. In any

event, though, I would love to present some of my ideas in more detail.

If you would like more information about me or references, please don’t

hesitate to contact me.

– license system where obedience gets discount (or non-obd pay more)

– dog toilets

– dog waste compost

– dog play facillites, adventure playground

– lockable, gated dog ‘sub-parks’

– public dog education

– dogs in other parks during off-season