Marcelle Bugre, Paola.
The canine kings of Paola
With the passing of elections, whatever the feeling of the citizen, whether delight or indignation, the majority rule in Paola belongs to the elite canine group. Yes, those doggies you see everywhere, faithfully strutting beside their owners, are so cute and cuddly, affectionate and to die for. Their litter graces the parks, streets, pavements, surroundings of the local council and it even decorates the borders of the Paola Primary School. Who can have greater importance than that?
Every morning, walking up Sisters Street to Paola Primary School takes me and my children, and a whole lot of others, through a series of "watch it", "be careful", and an episodic wave of going up and down the pavement whenever this dog's mess presents itself in front of us. When we face such a smell, can you imagine, they always have the upper hand! We humans need to get down from the pavement and make space for the precious droppings of the elite dogs of Paola.
Apparently, although many parents and children are constantly grumbling about this situation, cleaning their shoes on the pavement edges when they make a mistake, the local council seems to think nothing of it. In fact, since the council is situated in the middle of the park, directly facing the school, it must be of the same idea about the rights of the elite dog society.
I was told I should forget reporting the matter to the council. They will ask if you saw anyone breaking the law, so you can report him personally. Oh, I see the intelligence, I replied. All the council has to do is look outside their window. Some people bring more than two dogs every day to excrete in the park which children walk through every day after school. We are just waiting for the summer flies to continue enhancing our environment with more hygiene.
While all this is going on, the poor Paola kids are quietly and faithfully studying subjects like "Clean up the World", "Better Environment", and "Keeping Malta Clean". They need to remember however that those subjects are only meant for the exam, and they are faithfully reminded this truth everyday as they emerge through the school gates and carefully dodge the dog dirt, with the mums yelling behind.
Here's what parents should do and learn:
Do not complain. Accept it, for Paola will always remain the same!
If you don't like it, go to Sliema...there your kids can play in a more hygienic environment!
Learn that dogs are certainly more important than children (dogs don't cost us pensions and social services, and their life span is much shorter).
Don't believe in the principles of hygiene and environmental care. Simply let your kids learn them for just their exams, and to make wonderful projects about them.
The environment is not yours to enjoy. Who do you think you are anyway?
The real solution consists of dog-dirt bins, CCTV cameras and hefty fines. Will the local council be that serious?
Dogs rule in Paola!
8 Comments
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Amanda Mallia
Mar 22nd 2008, 20:39
Marcelle Bugre - You said: "If you don't like it, go to Sliema..."
Why bring Sliema into it? Is there a whiff of class hatred I smell? You obviously have the wrong impression of the place - and of the people who live there - as do many others like you.
The problem you are mentioning is a problem that occurs everywhere, and the blame lies solely with the dog owners.
A quick walk through most of the main roads leading up from/down to the Sliema seafront (which seems to be the only part of Sliema you are acquainted with) will prove you wrong. Unfortunately, despite the fact that most of the dog owners "parade" with a bag prominently wrapped round their dog's leash, few of them use it, if at all. Rest assured that, as long as they are sure that they are not being watched, they will leave there dog's mess right there.
Take heart in knowing that the problem exists all over the place, and not just in Paola. The only solution is educating the dog owners.
Denis A. Darmanin
Mar 22nd 2008, 20:01
Although Ms Burge does have a point about the inconsideration of certain dog owners, I can somehow believe that she probably never had the love given out by our four-legged friends!
Sylvia and Nathan Young
Mar 22nd 2008, 17:58
We totally agree with Sylvia Zammit.The situation in Marsascala has improved since the council put up notices that it is against the law not to clean up after your dog,and also provided special dog mess bins.We also have the wardens who look out for owners who fail to keep their dogs on a lead and have no plastic bag to clean up the mess.
Claude Licari
Mar 22nd 2008, 14:25
I once read that in Germany the government had introduced a system where every dog owner had to register his dog with the authority who took a DNA sample of the dog.
Members of the authority would collect a sample of the excrement found on the streets and trace the dog owner who would be presented with a hefty fine.
Now how about this for us Maltese who can only learn to respect the enviroment through fines and ECO taxes?
Sylvia Zammit
Mar 22nd 2008, 13:31
While I symphatise with Ms. Bruges, I have to say that I totally agree with F.Farrugia's comment. The dogs are not to blame - even the cleverest dog can not be expected to clean up after himself! The real culprits are the selfish owners who obviously could not care less about their fellow human beings. Such irresponsible behaviour will ultimately bring even more condemnation upon the poor dogs. Since we don't have any decent space to excercise our dogs, it stands to reason that owners will usually take them to places frequented by other people.The Local Council would do well to provide special Dog Waste bins, and to
enforce the law.
Liam Kelly
Mar 22nd 2008, 13:07
Marcelle, i think you need to have a long think about where the blame for this TRUELY lies.
It shouldn't take you too long to figure out that its the owners that are the problem. Their the ones who are so irresponsible and selfish to bother to clean up the mess which their dogs make...its not the dogs fault...they simply don't know any better.
But i understand your frustration at the local authorities reluctance to do anything, we have the same problem here in Birzebbuga, probably more so.
But lets be honest, the local councils of Paola and Birzebbuga (hmmm, what do they have in common?) are never going to do anything about the problem. The simple fact of the matter is, if your so angry about it, you need to confront these selfish people and tell them that we all have to share the streets and their not a public toilet. Stand up for yourself before you expect others to.
Kenneth Cassar
Mar 22nd 2008, 12:29
I cannot agree more with Franco Farrugia. The responsibility rests squarely on the owners.
What's more, people who do not clean up after their dogs are giving people who truly care about animals a bad name, as the above letter proves.
This is not a case of dogs being more important than children. This is simply a case of a few selfish dog owners with no concern whatsoever towards others.
People who are not prepared to cater for all the dogs' needs (including cleaning up after them) should not have dogs at all.
Franco Farrugia
Mar 22nd 2008, 11:09
I don't know the reason why this correspondent's attack is directed towards dogs. It is towards their 'owners' that her criticism should be directed. People taking out their dogs for walkies should be armed with a bag in order to clean up after their dogs, and that's the end of it.
What will Ms Bugre have? Streets bereft of animals? Or shall we go one step further? Yeah ... go on ... make a bye-law which forbids the walking of dogs in public streets.