No poo bin? No problem. These handy poo bag hacks will enable you to transport your dog’s number twos with ease and confidence, completely hands free!
The Tupperware trick
Clearly label a Tupperware box as the designated ‘poo box’ (so you don’t accidently put your sandwiches in it after use) and carry it with you in a rucksack. You can then use the box to safely store your poo bag until you find a bin.
Treat yourself to a Dicky Bag
We love a dicky bag! These are lightweight, airtight, leakproof bags specifically designed for carrying dog poo. They usually come with a carabiner clip or a Velcro strap so you can fasten the bag to your lead or rucksack. Pop ‘dicky bag’ into Google and see what comes up – there are plenty of options available.
Fuel Cap Car Saver
If you get back to the car after a walk and there is still no poo bin in sight, the space under your fuel cap can be an ideal spot to store the poo bag. This way, you can take the poo bag home and dispose of it there without stinking out your car.
DIY Poo Bag Holder
You can make your very own poo bag holder using just a peg and a length of garden wire.
Step 1: Thread the wire through the peg from the top to the bottom.
Step 2: Twist the wire so it is horizontal, with the peg positioned upright in the middle
Step 3: Fasten the peg to your dog’s lead. Be sure to tuck away any sharp ends inside the peg.
Step 4: Your bag clip is ready to use! Use the peg to hold onto used poo bags so you don’t have to.
Why is it so important to remove dog poo from the environment?
- When it rains and dog poo is washed into water sources, harmful parasites, viruses and bacteria can be introduced to the ecosystem. It can also lead to excessive nitrogen, resulting in algae blooms that suffocate aquatic life.
- Dog poo can take up to a whole year to biodegrade (and that’s without being in a plastic bag).
- Dog poo left on or around farmland can contaminate crops and devalue them. This means the farmer won’t get as much money for their crops as they would otherwise.
- Dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and e-coli are found in dog poo, which is a health risk to humans and other dogs.
- When left in natural habitats such as forests, dog poo introduces new pathogens into the environment which damage the plants and harm wildlife.
- Dog poo left in hedgerows is often rediscovered by land managers, contractors or rangers when they are strimming or trimming the hedges.
- No-one likes getting dog poo on their shoes, or seeing full bags swinging from tree branches – picking up after your dog and binning your poo bags is common courtesy.
- When dog poo containing neospora contaminates farmland where cattle are grazing, the cattle may consume it and contract neosporosis. Neosporosis in cattle often results in the abortion of young – a report by FAI Farms revealed that neosporosis is the most commonly diagnosed cause of abortion in cattle in the UK. Young puppies and dogs are also vulnerable. In severe cases, neosporosis can be fatal.
Picking up after our dogs is just part of being a responsible dog owner, and in order to fulfil that responsibility we must be aware of where our dogs are and what they are doing when we take them out.
Keeping our dogs engaged with fun games and activities is a great way to encourage them to stay close by and build on your bond – find out more on our engagement games page.
