Do you remember me mentioning that the one thing I really didn't like in Toulouse was the amount of dog poop on the sidewalks? Apparently (and unsurprisingly) I'm not alone. The Mairie de Toulouse is launching a campaign to increase public awareness* of this distasteful excess and encourage owners to clean up after their dogs. Take a look at this animated video: Pluie de crottes sur Toulouse (warning: contains gross-out humor some may find offensive).Click "comments" below to read the transcript and translation.
*Of course, the public is already well aware of it; it's just dog owners who seem to be oblivious. :-)
Related sites: France for Visitors | About Dogs
Comments
I was interested in the comment about the dog mess in Toulouse. I came across the same phenomenon – to an extent which my and I found most offensive – in the otherwise lovely town of Millau in September. We ended up our travels in France in Divonne-les-Bains which provided a striking contrast in this regard. Could this be because it is really rather more Swiss than French in culture and attitudes?
It could be, although Paris is relatively clean too. I think the south of France is just that much more laid back – they aren’t concerned about a little dog poop on the ground… but it’s gotten to the point where there is *so much* that it can no longer be ignored. When I was in Toulouse at the beginning of this year, it was everywhere. One morning there were two huge piles on the sidewalk right in front of the door to my apartment building – at least three people were unable to avoid them. How disgusting is that??
Here is the transcript and translation:
Chaque jour 5 tonnes de déjections canines s’abattent sur Toulouse. Arrêtons le déluge.
Demandez vos sacs jetables au Capitole et dans le Mairie de quartier.
Toulouse plus propre, à nous tous de le décider.
Every day 5 tons of dog excrement fall on Toulouse. Let’s stop the flood.
Ask for your disposable bags at the city hall and in your town hall.
A cleaner Toulouse, it’s up to us to decide.
I have been in Paris and I know what the dog poo is all about. I think it is best to collect a tax on dog owners. A tag neck tag will be issued. Independent contractors get the money to clean up the streets and the police must have the power to inspect tags and issue fines for violation. The fee for the dog tag is minimal compared to the food it consumes. People pay tax on their cars, why not on their dogs?
If this dog tag cannot be done, then let Paris stink because a simple Dog Tag Law cannot be made.
Personally I will be back in Paris soon, because I love the people and the city but hate the dog poo on the road… regards… Hans
Disgusting!
excellent! I live in Grenoble, where the problem is endemic. May the Toulouse concept spread!!
(Some people here feel they have improved the situ by training their dogs to use the curb instead. And we’ve friends who have asked neighbours to take their dogs to the appointed ‘dog corner’ 20 metres away, have become designated targets as a result. The fine exists already…the problem is, will anyone enforce it??)
Here in Tours it is slooowly improving with a combination of free disposal bags at the entrance to parks and awareness raising through publicity. As a dog owner, I just try to set a good example by being scrupulous about poop-scooping and showing my disdain for owners who allow their dogs to Just Do It.
When I lived in Montpellier, the sidewalks were the same way. I developed a “sixth sense” quickly and stopped stepping in it all the time–but it’s nasty! I’m glad Toulouse is trying to change that–and I thought the ad was hysterical.
“do you remember MY mentioning…”
To Mick, re. “do you remember MY mentioning”
From Michael Swan’s “Practical English Usage,” Oxford University Press, 2nd Edition: “In an informal style it is more common to use object forms (like me, John) instead of possessives (my, John’s) with -ing forms, especially when these come after a verb or preposition.”
Or you could avoid the whole situation by stating, “Do you remember when I mentioned . . ” =)
Here in Essex England, we have a campaign to clean up after our dogs – and our local Library gives free bags especially for the purpose. I must admit not everyone uses them, but it has made a big difference here!!
We had just talked about the French being so fond of dogs in my French class. So when this link came along, I showed it to my students and they found the new perspective very funny and also interesting. It’s difficult for Americans to imagine that someone would not consider it one’s own responsibility to clean up after one’s own dog. (I myself am European, but my students are American)
I’ve lived in france for two years and at first I felt that the dog poop was disgusting, and showed a lack of pride for their lavender provinces and moon shaped sidewalks. But it took me two years to realize it’s simply a culture difference. Dogs sit on the seats on the TGV, and they’re even allowed to dine with the owner at a restaurant (while sitting on a special dog seat). Once I saw a lady feeding her dog with a baby bottle on the TGV. He was the size of a 5 year old boy, if not larger. To Americans it sounds like lunacy, but in France its a cultural difference. I think we should let the dogs do whatever they please, wherever they please. You have eyes, so pay attention where you walk.
Yes, it did look like it had rained doggie-do overnight. I was there for a whole week and amazingly managed to avoid stepping in any. However on my last day, wouldn’t you know it, I stepped in some… chewing gum instead! Merde! (Pun intended)
I think the commercial is kind of gross, but I will show it to my students anyhow. I never realized that the French were not expected to clean up after their dogs!
I always like your emails. very interesting. I read and study french daily. Thank you.
I completely agree with you on this subject. I lived in France for two years and the dog poop was horrible in the large cities. I got tired of always trying to watch were I was stepping. What I really found funny, though, is when other people would walk their dogs and their own dogs would step in the poop that had been left. I would laugh as I passed by and saw them cleaning the dog poop of off their OWN dogs feet !!
Excuse me for not taking the time to compose in French. I’m curious: Do the French have set wording for announcements declaring it unlawful to permit dogs to defecate on the sidewalk? I recall signs near London saying, “It is absolutely forbidden to permit canines to befoul the footpath.” Charmingly indignent and officious to my American way of thinking. By the way, I very much appreciate Ms Lawless’s French lessons.
Dog walkers in New Zealand are required to carry plastic bags to collect the offending matter.Some parks have special bins for same.Dogs are not allowed on beaches during summer,except early morning or late evening, Bev
Ici a Limerick, Ireland, il’s'agit d’une amende de €500 pour ne pas enlever les crottes. Malgre cela, je n’ai rien entendu d’une condamnation!Quant a des plages, c’est la meme pour nous comme Nouvelle-Zelande dans le plupart des comptes.
I don’t understand why in America, a young country, we are sensitised enough to want clean streets and old France is still behind and allows their cities to be defecated. I hope they will soon enforce laws for owners of the dogs to clean up after their pets. I am contradicting myself when I am enthusiastic about teaching my students about sophisticated French culture and disgusted about unclean streets.
Lucyna
I spent last week in Paris and spent the week avoiding dog mess in parks and other non tarmac covered areas but dogs urine is everywhere covering the pavements. At one point I had to step over a small dog on a lead urinating in the middle of the pavement out side a school, awful. We now appear to have sorted out most dog owners in England as the Americans have, it’s the turn of the French next – it really in unhealthy.
The citizens of Toulouse are not “laid back”, simply irresponsible, and it seems that those of Paris are not much better.
Here in Melbourne (Australia) there are no dogs in the down-town area, and very few sitting with their owners at the side-walk cafes in the suburbs.
This may be because dogs (other than guide-dogs for the blind) are not allowed in shops or on public transport, and are required to kept on a leash when not behind a dog-proof gate.
There are certain designated parks where dogs are permitted to run free, but even there their owners are required to clean up their pet’s droppings.
Australians are not perfect, and there are a small number of irresponsible owners who let their dogs out for a run very early in the morning.
However, we do better overall than many self-appointed centres of culture.
Laura,
My high school students absolutely adored translating and watching this short video advertisement. Do you know where I can find others like it?
Karen De La Vergne
kvergne@acsc.net
Salut Laura, et Salut tout le monde.
Bien sur je donne mon soutien a ce genre de publicite. Parce qu’on trouve toujours que nous faisons des choses sans reflechir. Donc, il nous faut ces publicites pour modifier les mauvaises habitudes
Et je saisis l’occasion pour te dire, Laura, que je m’amuse beaucoup de ton site.
A mon avis cette petite vidéo est bizarre. Les français, ne savaient-ils pas que beaucoup de chiens ferait beacoup de crottes? Qui voudrait habiter avec des crottes partout? Pas moi!
M. “Hey” – If they can let the dogs eat in the restaurants, and let them sit on the seats in the TGV, then I’m sure they can teach them to use the WC as well, non? Quelle blague.
J’aime votre site, Laura! Cette vidéo est très amusant!