The 10-year-old boy who fought dog poo with simple signs

Deposits left behind by dogs walking through an Oak Park laneway connecting to the Moonee Ponds Creek trail were so bad that it became “like an obstacle course”. So this fed-up 10-year-old came up with a simple solution to remind owners of their responsibilities.

Elias, 10, called upon dog owners to clean up their mess. Picture: Ellen Smith

A 10-year-old boy is leading the charge to keep a popular laneway free of dog poo.

Oak Park boy Elias said he was so frustrated by the behaviour of dog owners in a laneway off Sylvester St he had to take matters into his own hands.

So last month he got to work producing signs to be taped in the laneway as gentle reminders for pet owners to clean up after their pets.

“It was like an obstacle course,” he said.

“When I walked there was too much dog poo, it was very annoying.”

The laneway, which acts as a walking track towards Moonee Ponds Creek, has now been almost free of poo for more than two weeks.

Helen Collins said she wasn’t surprised her son had taken it upon himself to make a difference.

“We were talking about how disgusting it was and (Elias) went off on his own and started drawing the posters so we helped him laminate them,” she said.

MORE NEWS: GERMAN SUPERMARKET WAR SET FOR COBURG NORTH

NEW PROGRAM AIMS TO SHAKE OF OLDER PERSON LONELINESS

PIEDIMONTE’S OVERHAUL DRAWS IRE OF RESIDENTS

“He’s always thinking of other people, he wasn’t thinking it would be good for himself but it would be nice to have a clean laneway for everybody.”

After being initially taped onto the back of fences in the laneway, some signs have since been nailed in by an unknown neighbour supporting the cause.

“We often hear people stopping and talking about it,” Ms Collins said.

“It’s a great reminder for dog owners to before considerate of everybody else.”