Few things can disrupt a calming afternoon spent in nature like coming across a literal bag of dog poop.
One hiker posted a photo of a dog-doo bag sitting on a stump in the subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating.
"Why bag it if you're gonna leave it?" they wrote, frustrated. "Do they think someone else is going to collect their dogs s***? There are no Dog S*** trolls in the forest looking to collect your dogs s***, take it with you, you already bagged it."
Commenters were equally incensed by the behavior. "Just an overall horror," one person wrote. "I was once so annoyed I walked my favourite trail at a local conservation area (staffed) and filled a grocery bag with the discarded poo bags."
Other commenters suggested that perhaps the dog owner had left it with the plan to pick it up on their way back, placing it in a prominent spot to avoid forgetting. But other commenters were skeptical.
"That's what you'd think but you often see them in the same spot weeks later," one person said.
"Leaving trash on the side of the trail is never acceptable, regardless of when you plan to pick it up," another wrote. "These people know their dog is going to poop, they should plan ahead and figure out a way to haul it with them."
Another commenter agreed, saying: "It is objectively wrong." After all, they pointed out, "even if you actually pick it up on the way back, everyone else still has to walk past it in the meantime." The same commenter added: "Some people will see it and think it's acceptable to leave their baggies around too. It sets a bad example."
While a plastic bag of poop is among the most undesirable items to encounter while trying to enjoy nature, coming across any type of garbage is upsetting and distracting.
Unfortunately, it seems that wherever humans go, their trash goes. People have posted photos of finding popped balloons in the middle of the woods, disposable vapes in a penguin colony, and even a plastic bag in the deepest part of the ocean, according to National Geographic.
And this is far from the only time that hikers have posted about dog poop being left in bags along walking trails.
In addition to the concern about the plastic being left in nature, dog poop can also pose a danger to humans and other wildlife. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it can contain parasites and germs, so it's on dog owners to be responsible with their animals and ensure they are properly bagging and disposing of any poop.
Following the principles of Leave No Trace and showing a respect for nature and for animals is a way to ensure a cleaner, more sustainable future for the planet.
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