it should be illegal to leave dog shit on the street as well as for ANY dog to even squat to pee or poop in a children's play area. I mean like... HUGE FINES or JAIL TIME! This country is so f'ing "SHITTY"!

By LJK | March 12, 2010 9:34 AM

The pavements in The Netherlansds are like a mine field with all the dogs mess it's about time that something was done regarding the dog owners themselves as the dog will only act as it was trained.

By Greig | March 12, 2010 10:29 AM

I agree with LJK.

There is a law in the US that when a dog goes to bathroom in the street or sidewalk, its owner is responsible to collect it otherwise, he will pay a huge fine. I wish there was such a law in Hollands.

I also agree with Grieg, when you walk on a sidewalk, you have to watch you step not to run over dog poop. Please lawmakers, do something about it.

Just think about it, if I throw my cigarette out of car window it is an offense, if I throw my empty milk bottle in the street, the same. Why not dog poop?

By david | March 12, 2010 11:09 AM

I second the above comments!

Once Spring really comes, the wind will still blow but add with the disgusting smell of pets faeces!

I cannot believe they only did the research recently! Besides of showing the result, how come no constructive plan how to stop it! They should make a law that all pet owner must have to bring a doggy bag and/or clean up their pets' business afterwards otherwise the pet owner would get a huge fine! So, please don't be a shallowed country that only make law to forbid wearing headscarf or no shops allow to open on Sunday - make something more constructive please!

By kmc | March 12, 2010 12:15 PM

Anyone caught allowing their dog to foul the pavement and then fail to clean it up should be blindfolded and made to walk through the Vondel Park bare footed.

By Jamie Anderson | March 12, 2010 3:32 PM

In Minnesota in the USA and in most other places in the USA owners are required to pick up dog poop and transport it in a bag and discard it. One rarely encounters any on the streets or even in the parks.

By Gary Schoener | March 12, 2010 3:37 PM

This country surely has to be aware that it is the worst in Europe for Dog poop. It is everywhere. Even Jeremy Clarkson makes reference to it! I'm not allowed to squat on your front door, why do you allow your dog to squat on mine AND THEN LEAVE IT. It is disgusting and totally irresponsible of the owner. Annoyingly they never do it when i'm arround otherwise i'd tell them to clean it up.

By CEN | March 12, 2010 4:09 PM

It has amazed me for years how a nation which obsessively manicures its gardens down to the last leaf cannot be bothered to scoop the poop.

By J. | March 12, 2010 4:19 PM

The only sensible comment has come from Greig. It is the owner who should get a good spanking. In Amstelveen there are free poop-scoop dispensers regularly spaced around the town with special bins where the scoops can be deposited. It's so easy, it's a joke. However, people still let their dogs defecate right in the middle of the footpath and walk on. Btw, Dutchnews, is that 145MK yech on the street or 145MK yech in total?

By Ferdia | March 12, 2010 4:57 PM

I agree with everyone here. Believe it or not, laws are in place here in the Netherlands when it comes to "dog fouling", (as they call it in the U.K.) Where is the enforcement???? In Delft, where I live, the fine is 90 euros for dog fouling, and 90 euros if you let your dog poop in a playground. There is also a 60 euro fine for allowing your dog to be off the leash. How many tickets are written each year for these offensse? Perhaps the dog tax money that dog owners pay should go toward hiring undercover patrol people! Until the offender's wallets are affected this problem will go on and on. In the meantime, I make a point to thank people who I see cleaning up after their dogs and hand the offenders a plastic bag! Social pressure is also part of the solution! Unfortunately, the Netherlands is really behind in this problem. They have a great system for nabbing speeders on the highways with radars and cameras. Perhaps we need the same technology to make this problem go away here in Holland.

By Nan | March 12, 2010 4:58 PM

This country is so amazing! Research about what else? Seriously? And now what we can do
With this very significant information of 145 kg waste is produced by dogs?
..:)..

By lyudyth | March 12, 2010 5:07 PM

It wasn't until recently the Dutch began a campaign to stop urinating in the streets in public... it's hard to believe their going to start cleaning up after their dogs anytime soon. And then there's the spitting in the streets...! The laws are there but not being enforced. After the soldiers are returned from Afghanistan they should be put to good use patrolling the streets monitoring animal and human hygiene violations.

By Buzzer | March 12, 2010 5:28 PM

Everytime I come back for a holiday I'm disgusted that a modern country like the Netherlands allows this filth to happen !!!!
Here is Sydney Australia ,owners must keep dogs on a leash and carry a plastic bag for picking up poop !!
If you don't , you get a big fine .
This System really works in a town with more then 4 million people.
So Dutchies clean up your act and attract more tourists.

By Ausie Leon | March 12, 2010 6:08 PM

In the recent city council elections, we tried to find the party that was most anti-poop. Sadly, none of the parties had mentioned this as an election pledge.

Any party that commits to get rid of grafitti and dog poo in the city gets my vote.

By Poop Avoider | March 12, 2010 6:45 PM

I was under the impression that there is a law stating if you don't clean-up after your pets that you are subject to a fine if caught. Am I wrong? What I don't like is I diligently pick up after my dogs in all circumstances, yet have to pay more than 320 euros a year in taxes to pay for the city to pick up dog mess. I think fines for not picking up mess should be HUGE and law abiding owners shouldn't have to pay for others laziness. Who knows? Maybe some paying such large taxes now think it's their "right" not to clean up after their dogs since they payed for the service?

By DH | March 12, 2010 7:01 PM

I went through the "very angry" stage like LJK now I direct my comments directly to the asocial dog owners n person. A huge "blind spot" here.

By bet | March 12, 2010 7:46 PM

All 'Animal Lovers' comments then!. Don't think so. How many of you expect Dog's/Cat's/Horse's etc; to be on Remote Control ?. You can't teach common sense - these people who can't pick up the 'POO' - they can wipe their own backsides - but it's beneath them to simply put their hands into a sack & dispose accordingly into the correct 'Poop Bins' - though more of them should be as well as ordinary rubbish bins on the streets. It's pure lazyness. Can't believe this article - Making this country more & more anti of dogs. Their are responsible dog owner's but we are the forgotten few !. As for worming this should be done every 3mths all responsible dog owner's will do this & not let their dogs in Children's Play Areas. It about time an alternative useage of recycling the excrement was found.

By Wiemer | March 12, 2010 7:56 PM

I visit Holland every year and I'm always amazed how little regard Dutch dog owners have for their fellow citizens. It agrivates me to know end how dogs are allowed to run free on the beach. Duch kids must love dog shit between their toes. Go figure

By Frank | March 12, 2010 10:31 PM

No Frank, I don't think any child likes poop between their toes, and it's silly for you to pick on Dutch kids because some irresponsible dog owner does not pick up after their dog!

By Dutch Mom | March 14, 2010 8:52 AM

I understand now that my country (Holland) is a very dirty country and his customers too! But our law says: it's forbidden to leave dogshit! When people walk with a dog, they MUST have a plastic bag with them for the poop. The dog MUST be on a line.
Most people do that, but there are always people who think the law is not for them and their dogs. And we don't have police on every corner of the street, so...... I think every little poop what is left,is too much, but it's not so bad as in the messages above. My Holland is not full with dogshit!! But I
think too that is it very dirty to leave
poop anywhere, aspecially on the beach and on places where children has to play. I'm ashamed for my countrymen who are doing this, really!!

By Dineke | March 14, 2010 9:47 AM

In the USA about 50% of people consider dogs to be family members; in Sweden it is nearly 100%. So I would guess it's roughly in the middle or higher in the NL. I interpret these numbers as a desire to define dogs (cats, anything with its own name)legally as family members. Any measures - from allowing exercise to cleaning to training (mandatory in Switzerland) - should use that as a starting point.

By Todd | March 14, 2010 11:17 PM

Yes I AM angry about it. I have 2 small children and we don't go to parks in the cold weather because the PAY parks with the fences aren't open yet. We live in a small apartment and no yard. I feel for my kids but I won't let them play in dog mess either! I get very annoyed when I see a sign at a children's play area saying NO DOGS and there's a dog, pooping right on the damn pole! I do often want to speak up to the person (this is my nature to bitch actually) but I worry also that the person could be a closet psycho and knife me or something!

The worst thing about that kind of situation is that this park is right next to one of those fenced in dog running areas where they CAN poop! Why not take the dog over there?

Funny story.. once when we were on a hike with a friend and their kid who was potty training the little girl had to poop, so they just had her squat on the footpath and take a dump, right there. They are native dutchies, does that surprise you? At the time I was shocked but now I know better.. they don't have respect for other people!

Hey Todd, so I hope you are implying that if you'd wipe your baby's poopy butt that you should also clean up after your dog, right?

By LJK | March 15, 2010 9:15 AM