I’ve seen a lot in my years reporting from the towns and villages of Somerset, writes Clinton Rogers.
Martians at the Glastonbury Festival (don’t think they were real), people planting flowers in deep potholes in the road (trying to make a point), and one memorable protest involving a scarecrow and a megaphone (can’t even remember what it was about).
But lately, something far less amusing has been getting up my nose - literally and figuratively.
I’m talking about dog mess.
Now, I know this might not sound like front-page stuff, but talk to anyone pushing a pram, walking to school, or trying to enjoy a stroll without playing hopscotch over brown landmines, and you’ll hear the same story: it’s getting worse.
Most dog owners are decent, considerate people - they carry their little bags, do the necessary, and move on.
But a small, stubborn minority seem to think the rules don’t apply to them, or to their pooches.
Maybe they think it’ll just disappear.
Maybe they think the pavement is someone else’s problem.
Whatever the reason, it’s lazy, it’s antisocial, and frankly, it stinks.
I heard from a mother in Taunton who had to clean a buggy wheel smeared in something unspeakable.
Another chap in Street told me he’s taken to walking with his eyes down, which rather ruins the point of being outdoors in the first place.
And my neighbour says dog owners are throwing those green poo bags in his front garden.
Really?
You’ve gone to the trouble of picking it up, but putting the bag in a bin is an effort too far!
Some councils are putting up signs that say: "There’s no such thing as the Dog Poo Fairy."
Amusing, yes, but also depressingly necessary.
Let’s be honest, picking up after your dog isn’t pleasant, but neither is stepping in what someone else chooses to ignore.
Communities run on basic respect.
It’s not about rules for rules’ sake, it’s about not making life unpleasant for the next person coming along.
So here’s a gentle reminder, from one dog lover to another, carry a bag, use the bin, do the right thing, even when no one’s watching.
And if you’re tempted to look the other way, remember that there’s always someone who’ll notice; a young child with muck on their shoes, a pensioner struggling to scrub their carpet, or perhaps a weary old reporter, shaking his head and reaching for his notebook.
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