The October Good Citizen Challenge: Pick Up That Dog Poop

Every dog owner knows the moment. There it is.

This month's Good Citizen Challenge asks you to do the thing nobody wants to do, and the thing everybody quietly appreciates: pick it up. Not just your own dog's. Any dog poop you find on the trail, around the neighborhood, or at the park. All month long.

It might be the least glamorous challenge we've ever posted. It might also be the most important.

Why it matters

Dog poop isn't fertilizer, and it doesn't just disappear. Left on the ground, it can carry bacteria and parasites that linger in soil and spread to other dogs, wildlife, and people. When it rains, it washes into storm drains, creeks, bays, and beaches. The Environmental Protection Agency counts pet waste among the everyday pollutants that end up in our waterways.

There's a community cost, too. The trails, parks, and beaches that welcome dogs only stay that way when dog owners keep them clean. Every bag left behind makes it a little easier for someone to argue that dogs don't belong. Every bag picked up makes the case that they do.

Good citizenship isn't about being perfect. It's about leaving a place a little better than you found it, for the people and the dogs who come after you.

We're going first

We would never ask you to do something we wouldn't do ourselves. I'm personally dedicating October to picking up every last bit of dog poop I come across. On the trail, around the neighborhood, at the park. All of it.

I'll be keeping count, and we'll post the running tally in our Instagram Stories all month. We expect the number to be humbling. Wish me luck.

Maisy will be supervising, as usual.

Make it a group walk

The weather is still good, which makes October the perfect month to turn a cleanup into a social outing. A few ideas:

• Rally your regulars. Text the friends you see at the park every morning and pick a day to walk the loop together, bags in hand.
• Adopt a route. Choose one trail, block, or park and make it yours for the month. It's satisfying to watch a place get cleaner week by week.
• Carry an extra bag for someone else. Tuck a spare in your pocket for the dog owner who ran out. It's the friendliest way to make a point, and it counts toward the challenge.
• Restock a poop bag station. If your trail or park has a dispenser that's always empty, fill it. Bring a roll or two on your walk, or ask your local park group how you can help keep it stocked.
• Make it a habit, not an event. Five minutes on every walk adds up faster than one big cleanup day.

The dogs won't mind—more walking, more sniffing, more company. As far as they're concerned, this is the best challenge yet.

The safe way to do it

A good citizen is also a careful one. Before you head out:

• Dog poop only. Leave anything else.
• Gloves and a bag, every time.
• Toss bags in a trash can.
• Wash your hands as soon as you're done.
• Stick to public spaces and follow your local park rules.
• Keep your own dog close while you clean, so they're not investigating what you're picking up.

How to join

There are three easy ways to enter this month:

1. Send us photos of you making your area clean and safe, whether you're picking up, restocking a bag station, or handing a spare bag to a neighbor, and tag us with #PLPGoodCitizen.
2. Leave a supportive comment on our challenge post.
3. Send us a DM and tell us what you're doing in your community.

One winner will receive a $100 Piper Loop Pets site credit. We'll announce the winner, along with my final count, in early November.

Open to U.S. residents 18+. Winner chosen at random. No purchase necessary.

Clean trails, happy dogs, good citizens. That's the whole program. Let's do it.