Hints From Heloise: Your pup’s poop belongs in the bin

Today’s Sound Off: picking up after your pets:

Dear Heloise: I love animals and have two small dogs and one cat. When I take my dogs for a walk I always pick up their droppings in a plastic bag and toss it in my garbage. Recently, however, I was at a dog park in my city and noticed how many people do not pick up after their dogs.

We have city ordinances requiring dog owners to pick up their dog’s feces, but it gets ignored by too many people and is not enforced enough. As much as I love my dogs, I would still never consider it okay to leave their droppings where people could step on them. It’s unhealthy, unsanitary and in general just disgusting. Pet ownership is a responsibility, and if you take in a pet, you must assume the duties required to maintain a healthy relationship between your pet and your community.

So please ask your readers to pick up the poo their dog leaves behind.

-- Marjorie H., San Antonio

Marjorie H.: I agree with you. A cat or a dog needs more than just food and water. They need love, someone to pet them and show they care. No animal should ever be chained up and ignored, and no one should leave their dog’s droppings just laying on the ground. As you say, pick up the poo! And don’t forget to have your pets spayed and neutered and vaccinated against rabies.

Dear Readers: Here are additional uses for white correction fluid:

● Paint a small nick on white appliances.

● To cover up the price of a book or some other gift.

● Hide the scuff or scratches on white shoes.

● Use in an address book to cover old, useless phone numbers.

Dear Heloise: There are few things in this world I hate more than flies. They're carriers of filth and disease. With young children, it seems they're in and out all day during the summer and flies get into the house.

I put some vinegar and water in a spray bottle and keep it on the counter, and when I see a fly I spray him. I think the vinegar might stun the fly, but it makes it easier for me to get a towel or a fly swatter and kill the little bugger. It also makes it easy to clean the spot where the fly landed.

-- Courtney D., in Mississippi

Dear Heloise: My kitchen junk drawer was bulging at the seams with all kinds of useless junk. So I decided to organize it. All the rubber bands are held together with a large safety pin, twist ties are now in a breath mint container. All the extra key chains and tiny thumb tacks are in a baby food jars, and the assortment of old dried-up pens have been tossed out. Address labels went into my desk drawer, matches and plastic lighters are stored in a small plastic storage tray, which is a perfect size for that drawer. All else was just junk, and it went in the garbage. Now it's so nice to open that drawer and find what I need!

-- Rose Marie N., Rapid City, S.D.

Heloise’s column appears six days a week at washingtonpost.com/advice. Send a hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795001, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or email it to Heloise@Heloise.com.

2021, King Features Syndicate