Yesterday I was out walking in my neighborhood and came across the strangest thing…12 bags of dog poop lined up on someone’s balcony.

Was it poop art instead of pop art? I know…even I groaned at that one, but seriously people, there is only one place where dog poop belongs and that’s in the garbage.

Overall, (I’m knocking on wood as I write this) I think the dog owners in my neighborhood are doing a better job of picking up after their pets. Or at least I hope this is the case, otherwise many gardeners and landscapers are picking up the slack and taking over this thankless task. And if that’s true, then I thank them profusely!

In Los Angeles, dog poop that’s left out gets washed off yards, sidewalks, driveways and roads by rain into storm drains where it becomes part of a massive rush of stormwater flowing straight to the ocean. Talk about a shitstorm. With an estimated 1.1 million dogs in Los Angeles County, that is potentially a lot of untreated waste headed towards our shores.

Thankfully, a lot of dog owners do their part to help keep our oceans and waterways healthy, but some don’t and it’s frustrating! There are also some who actually take the time to pick up after their dog, but then can’t be bothered to throw it in the garbage. I’ve found bags of dog poop lying next to dumpsters and on sidewalks. That’s even worse because then a plastic bag and dog poop washes into the ocean, ugh!

Come on people, take responsibility for your pets and do what’s best for our oceans – pick up your dog’s poop and put it in the trash. With El Nino storms predicted for Southern California, it’s more crucial than ever.

As far as the poop art, that remains a mystery. Maybe the people who live there wait for a large collection to accrue before taking it to their building’s dumpster? They do live in a really large apartment complex, but the dumpster can’t be that far. Get some exercise and throw it away. (I feel okay saying that because I actually saw the person on their balcony and they were able bodied.) End of rant, thank you.

P.S. I just went on another walk and now there are 15 bags of dog poop!