Please Clean Up After Your Pets

Sign at Prospect Park located in Wheatridge, Colorado

From Establishing  Boundaries to an Invitation

This blog is inspired by the need for me to find a solution to the south boundary of my property becoming a dumping ground for local dog poo.

And perhaps it also satisfies my often times aesthetics celebration of the sophomoric, like finding a 'ready made' theme for a blog from the act of a dog pooing.

I have observed passer byes with their dogs, pausing and circling their furry wards in the 'zone' in order to stimulate them to use this narrow plot as a doggy toilet.

Cool, but this is taking place in the front of my yard. I have children; I have dogs. I love both; but I think that dog poo left UN-attended and children are not a 'good mix.'

I am not responding with anger.

I can see how this area next to a street, not quite landscaped, may be interpreted as a free dumping zone. I have had conversations with 'offenders' and felt nothing but regret in becoming a Mr. Wilson. I have observed often that the dog walkers are surprised,  and often quite apologetic. 

So I thought, "how could I gently ask people to clean up after their animals?" The solution presented itself after a lesson from my Photoshop teacher, Marti, who works in graphics and proclaimed that the QR code is 'graphically ugly'. Being that I love parody and a challenge, I started looking for an opportunity to use this graphic social phenomenon in a work, and make it beautiful.

QR Sign Installed

I made the sign and wrote the blog to ask my neighbors to pick up after their animals, and I am using the QR code playfully.  I am reflecting on the game-like modality and effectiveness of the QR code and inviting my neighbors to play with their cell phones in order get the message.


I chose to link the QR code to my blog in order to invite them to the 2nd Use site. I hope this becomes a means to share my ideas, or possibly answer questions, that they may have about my work in the yard.

Even though the QR sign is a social networking kinda deal, if you wish to enjoy the true social, please feel free to stop if you see me working in the yard for a jaw and a tail wag.

FYI :
There are some bags under the sign if you need them, and again thank you in advance for your collaboration.