When Ed and his two colleagues came to Poland, they spent a few days in-processing in Warsaw before they came to Poznan. It was in one of our first skype calls from the capital city that he mentioned the “land mines” as they dubbed them. A week or so later, I arrived in Poznan and got to see them for myself. We’re not the only ones noticing it — an article about this is the New Poland Express last week mentions Wroclaw’s campaign to clean up the streets and the public art provided by a Polish rapper to bring attention to the subject. It’s sinking low, but I had to track down a photo for you. It seems picking up after your dog in Poland isn’t a big deal!
In this country of fastidiously clean and tidy people, it is not customary to pick up after your dog, and with so many people living in apartment buildings, the dogs are “let out” in public spaces.
Benson has been in Poland for a year now, and we have a beautiful, sprawling grassy area behind our apartment in which to walk him. It’s nicely landscaped with meandering sidewalks, park benches, picnic tables, and a couple of playgrounds, and if you leave the sidewalk, you need to watch where you step.
I am not fastidiously clean and tidy. My stateside family will be shocked to learn that I have picked up the Polish habit of washing our windows, always before Easter and maybe once or twice more during the year. But I was raised in a family where littering was unthinkable, picking up after your dog falls into that category. Remember the Girl Scout saying, “take only memories, leave only footprints?”
We save plastic bags from produce and the supermarket, and wouldn’t think of walking our dog without taking a bag with us. They’re kept by the door with his leash.
This spring we’ve noticed something new. We’ve seen a couple of our neighbors also picking up after their dogs! I feel like they’ve seen us doing it, and the light bulb has come on. Now if they’ll just notice that he is ALWAYS on his leash.
Stardust
Boy, you so right. The dog's poo story is plain embarrassing.
Kasia
Lois – Thank you for introducing good habits to the people of Poznan!
madkasia
When my Dad came to visit me in the States for the first time 6 years ago, he could not believe that we picked after our dog. But he loved the idea and he totally adopted it after going back home.
He had people laugh at him and giving him stupid remarks about it… but it caught up. Every now and then he sees others picking up their mess. 🙂
Lois B
We may get disparaging remarks, but we wouldn't understand them. Ed did get a "bravo!" from someone watching from their balcony. 🙂
Czary kapturek
Thanks for the article. That that rapper did his piece in Wrocław totally passed me by. Dog shite is occasionally a terrible problem here, especially when the snow melts to reveal a few months worth underneath.
Actually, I was planning an article on my blog about litter. There's a beautiful spot close to where I live by the river, and the other day when I was there, there was
Anonymous
thanks, very good =)