Cleaning urban spaces is everyone's responsibility. It's the authorities' job to have a diligent cleaning service, but it's also up to citizens to have a civic and respectful attitude towards the space.
In that sense, ARISTOPARENTS are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of keeping the streets clean and taking responsibility for our pets' excrement. Since they cannot do it, we must take charge to prevent ourselves and our best friends from being demonized. As a group, we must set an example.
However, we all know that, in 2018, some people still don't fully take responsibility for what their pets leave on the street… That's why some city councils have launched initiatives to promote responsible… and civic pet ownership.
The latest to join is the Elda city council, in Alicante, which has launched a very direct cleaning campaign aimed at ARISTODOG owners. This campaign is called "It's in your hands." And it's quite literal, as it provides owners with tools so they have no excuse not to take responsibility for their pets' excrement and urine.
Therefore, the city council will distribute around 3,500 dispensers that will contain bags and bottles. Everyone knows what bags are used for. But what about bottles? The City Council believes that pet urine also dirties the streets and generates bad odors, so their solution is to give away bottles to owners, so they can fill them with water and vinegar.
At this point, it is worth noting that you should never clean pet urine with ammonia and bleach, as it can be toxic to pets. Sometimes, owners of establishments or commercial premises tend to do this, desperate due to the passivity or negligence of certain owners, but without being aware of the risks involved… That's why it's important that we manage this properly and don't give anyone a reason to take such measures. If you don't do it out of civility, do it for your pet.
Returning to Elda, the town has a population of just over 52,000 inhabitants. So the distribution of bags and bottles will take place at the most popular and crowded public places, as well as those most frequented by ARISTOPARENTS and ARISTOPETS. The Central Market and the San Francisco de Sales Market are two of the main points, as well as parks and gardens, where more excrement is usually left.
We all want a cleaner city. That's why city councils do not hesitate to launch initiatives like this. Without leaving Alicante, we find another similar proposal carried out by the Petrer city council. In this case, the mechanism is the same, only they recommend filling the 2,000 bottles that will be distributed with water, vinegar, and lemon. Likewise, the distribution will be carried out nominally, which will help the Health Department update the town's animal census. A doubly useful initiative.
It is clear that cities are dirty for many more reasons than just pet droppings. Papers, bottles, cigarette butts… all that and much more is the responsibility of other people to whom city councils do not dedicate awareness campaigns. It may be offensive or annoying, in a way, but you know what they say: "you can't please everyone."