I often walk with my dear friend, Jill.
Our favorite route is the uni hill.
We walk in the summer, fall and spring
But not in winter: that's not our thing.
It's much too cold and it's not so nice,
We're not so keen on the snow and ice.
And quite often then there is no sun,
The overcast days are not much fun.
That's when we go to the local gym.
This very much helps to keep us trim
And when spring comes we're eager to go,
Quite glad to see the end of the snow.
But there's one big problem we both find.
It's the dog poop piles; you know the kind.
We must not dare be blissful dreamers
In case we tread in big brown steamers
Simply because we do like to talk;
That is the highlight of the walk.
Those careless dog owners are to blame.
Because of them it is such a shame
That the nice wide sidewalks are so soiled
And people's walks are constantly spoiled
When they're forced to dodge the messy piles
On pavement smeared like checkerboard tiles.
Sometimes they have to walk on the road
If several dogs have had to unload.
Traffic can be heavy as can be,
Dangerous for the walkers, you'd agree.
And when it's raining it's even worse,
Soggy dog poop really is a curse.
The City has tried to do its best,
They've passed a bylaw, I can attest.
Dog owners must pick up all the way,
Even when it's dark, not just by day.
They've also supplied big garbage bins
But owners are still guilty of sins.
Perhaps they should issue hefty fines,
Display penalties on warning signs,
Make each dog owner carry a scoop
When he so chooses to walk the loop.
I'm tired of this being something to "Shush,"
I'm so sick of beating around the bush.
And so today I'm having my say:
Let's hope this problem will go away.
Gail Runschke
Prince George
