Left-behind dog poop is annoying. But it’s also a sign of anti-sociality.
Spotting unidentified poop outside is an unfortunate and unavoidable part of being alive, but in some cities, there’s a scourge being left behind by some people’s four-legged friends. Manuela López-Restrepo, writer and producer at All Things Considered, couldn’t stop noticing it – and she wondered if it might be a sign of something deeper going on. Paired with dogs popping up in places they maybe shouldn’t be – she wondered: can dogs be a vector for anti-social behavior? And what would it look like for people – and their pets – to share space more harmoniously?
Manuela shares her reporting with Brittany and they get deeper into the story of the dookie.
(00:00) Genuinely, why do people leave dog poop on the street?
(02:59) Dog poop as a symbol of urban entitlement
(05:38) When dogs show up at restaurants
(07:27) How the pandemic created a ‘dog’s rights movement’
(10:58) Dogs, race, and surveillance
(18:13) Is dog poop a policy issue?
(26:32) Investing in cleanliness and a more compassionate public
For more episodes about culture and how we share public space, check out:
The Coldplay kiss cam & moral surveillance
Crime is down. Why don’t people feel safe?
In search of a safe place to cry…
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