Literally a rotten job: human excrement is supposed to keep order in Offenbach

Imagine walking your dog along the river Main in the German town of Offenbach. Your dog likes to do his business on the sidewalk. Suddenly, a life-size pile of dogs comes up to her and says, “Hey, please remember to dispose of the dog poop properly.”

The city of Offenbach and the public utilities are taking an unusual approach in the fight against dog feces. As part of their “Respect Offenbach” campaign, a life-sized pack of dogs called “Shitty” runs through parks and along the banks of the Main, wanting to encourage dog owners to clean up their four-legged friends’ dog poop the right way.

The dog owners should now not feel harassed or misunderstood. “We don’t place all dog owners under general suspicion. Most of them dispose of the remains of their animals in an exemplary manner,” says Paul-Gerhard Weiss, head of public order for the city of Offenbach. It’s not the city’s first anti-dirt campaign, though. Before “Shitti”, there was already “Kippi”, the walking cigarette butt and the “Mülli” rubbish dump. (t-online, stn)