Dog poo on the street still seems to be one of the biggest annoyances in the Netherlands. Nearly 80% of dog owners are annoyed by fellow dog owners who do not clean up the poop. This is apparent from a 'dog poo poll' of the Royal Dog Protection. An equally large percentage also indicate that they clean up their dog's feces within built-up areas. This is apparent from various municipal surveys. The survey also shows that 70% of dog owners believe that the municipality is doing too little to facilitate culling.
“It is very important that dog owners clean up the poop. Both from the interest of the dog and the owner, as well as for public health," says Just de Wit of the Dog Protection. “By cleaning up the dog poop, dogs remain welcome in the city, forest and other recreational areas where dogs and people have to share space with each other,” says de Wit.
Cleaning up dog poop can also prevent disease transmission. Feces from all kinds of animals, such as cats and dogs, can contain roundworms. When its larvae end up in the human body, it can be harmful, especially for children.
