The Girls

My husband and I are owned by two very wonderful Scottish Terriers. We are as proud of them as we can possibly be. They live in our (excuse me - we live in their) home. We and the GIRLS are family. The GIRLS rule the roost at our Tybee Island home. They love to walk us every morning and evening and frequently the walks become the daily constitutional for the dogs (THE GIRLS). We carry bags with us to pick up THE GIRLS’ poop. However, I have noticed that many dog owners on Tybee Island do not do the same. We frequently have to scoop our front yard because inconsiderate, thoughtless and irresponsible dog owners do not pick up after their dogs. Just because we love our dogs (THE GIRLS) to pieces doesn’t mean everyone else on this island does too. I don’t know the dog that poops on my lawn; neither do I know the dogs that poop in our parks and on the beach. I am absolutely sure that these dogs are almost as wonderful as THE GIRLS. No one (of the canine variety} tops THE GIRLS. Regardless of how wonderful all of these animals are they are not capable of being anything but animals (oh boy, I sure am glad THE GIRLS don’t read). As pet owners we MUST take responsibility for our pets. We do NOT HAVE THE RIGHT TO IMPOSE OUR ANIMALS ON THE PROPERTY OF OTHERS OR ON CITY PROPERTY. How on Earth can we expect the City of Tybee Island to allow us to take our dogs to the beach when we allow our dogs to poop all over the rest of the island and don’t bother to clean up after them. I want to urge every dog owner to carry bags with you and use them when you walk your dogs. This is not only to keep the soles of the shoes of our children clean but it also protects the health of our animals as some canine diseases are spread through fecal matter. Furthermore, I urge every pet owner to encourage their friends and neighbors who are dog owners to do the same. If you encounter dog owners who pick up, praise them. If you see dog owners who don’t pick up, gently remind them that they are polluting our beautiful community and potentially spreading disease. I do wish to thank the current Tybee Island City Council for placing signs around the island to remind pet owners to clean up after their pets. OK, Tybee Island dog owners, let’s pull together and clean up after our dogs.

--Lawanna Tsoulos