Dog Poo Bags are Killing Horses
If you’re reading this blog, you’re probably an animal lover – practically all of our readers are. If you have a pet, this also probably means you are a responsible owner, and care a great deal about your pet. Both of these traits mean a great deal – however there are some people out there that are still unaware of a big potential consequence of improperly disposing of dog poo.
Recently, in Warlingham, two horses have died from people throwing dog poo bags over a hedge into a field in which horses graze, but the true scale of the issue is a mystery. Below is a poster the owner has taken to put up to warn would be litterers of their actions –
A spokesperson for the RSPCA said –
“The RSPCA would urge pet owners and other members of the public to sensibly dispose of plastic bags and poo bags as these can pose a real risk to animals. Grazing animals such as horses, cattle and deer can choke on them or some smaller animals and birds may climb inside bags and suffocate, or become entangled in plastic can holders”.
The issue doesn’t simply stop at choking, as an autopsy of one of the deceased horses found his stomach filled with the bags – in many cases the animal simply eats it whole not realising, and it causes havoc to their insides. Most grazing animals pick their food via scent, and don’t have the ability to notice a bag around it, let alone understand what a plastic bag even is.
They are attracted to the cereal content inside the waste, usually from the relatively good and nutritious diets that most domestic dogs receive. Some of the dog walkers in that area have blamed the council for not providing enough poo bins on the country roads, and whilst this is true, it is always the final responsibility of the owner to dispose of their own animals waste. Yes, it’s very frustrating to have to walk a long way just to throw a bag in a bin – but doing so could literally save a life.
This article isn’t meant to be accusatory – we’ve all made mistakes in life. So if you’re one of those people that has taken the time to bag up the poo but thrown it or disposed of it somewhere that isn’t a designated bin – make a change.
