An observational study conducted in the wilds of Betty’s Bay
Living in Betty’s Bay, one is constantly reminded to do one’s bit for the biosphere — ideally without becoming too officious about it. With that in mind, I offer a small public service announcement on behalf of those who don’t own dogs and visitors/ weekenders entering our environs. Dog owners, as we know, fall into five distinct categories, where Category 1 is the least considerate and Category 5 is the gold standard.
Category 1
These owners stroll along without a bag, a plan, or a care. Their mutts stop, squat, and deliver — and the owners don’t even bother with the furtive “is anyone watching?” glance. One suspects they believe they’re enriching the biosphere.
Category 2
Also bag‑less, but at least capable of embarrassment. If their hound performs its ablutions near a clearly occupied house (not a shuttered holiday home), they’ll attempt a cover‑up: a stick‑flick here, a sand‑shuffle there. Out in the fynbos, however, they revert to Category 1 behaviour, confident that no one behind a curtain is watching.
Category 3
These owners set out with bags and good intentions. If the dog goes on the coast path or out of sight, they leave it. If it happens in a residential area, they bag it. Progress, of a sort.
A brief aside: there exists a special sub‑species who do bag it — and then lob the bag into the bushes. These individuals do not fit into any of the five categories. They require a different kind of intervention altogether. Without sounding judgemental, who does that?
Category 4
The diligent majority. They leave home with bags, pick up after their dogs, and walk to the nearest public bin — beach entrances, penguin parking, and so on. They may hold the biodegradable bag at arm’s length for the hundred‑metre walk, but they get the job done.
Category 5
The paragons. These owners would never dream of leaving anything behind. They depart with a Woolies bag containing a paper bag, collect their pooch’s “visiting card”, tuck it neatly inside, and take the whole lot home. No fuss, no shame, no public bins required.
I recently read that in New York, if you behave like a Category 1–3 owner, the offending evidence can be sent for DNA testing. Your dog is identified, you are traced, and you receive a fine. Imagine that system in Betty’s Bay.
So, to our Category 1–3 friends: please be more considerate. It is deeply unpleasant to walk with eyes glued to the ground for fear of stepping in something that isn’t your own dog’s contribution — especially when one should be looking up and enjoying the beauty around us. Betty’s Bay attracts visitors, and it’s simply not acceptable for our paths and verges to be dotted with dog waste. Let’s keep our walks wild, our views unobstructed, and our shoes clean.
*You’ll notice I haven’t mentioned leashes. Having your dog off‑leash is a fine-able offence, and you run the risk of being named and shamed on Facebook. Many off‑leash walkers, unsurprisingly, fall squarely into Category 1.
Patrick Bolttler
BBC: Photo credits from various signs from the internet