San Diego Man Covers Lawn with Chocolate Chips to Keep Dogs Away

Sure, it’s aggravating when irresponsible dog owners allow their pooches to poop on your front lawn. Again and again and again.

But is that any reason to cover your lawn with something that’s potentially poisonous to dogs?

John Robinson of San Diego thought so. Last Friday, he sprinkled several pounds of chocolate chips over his front yard.

Chocolate, as you should know, can be poisonous for dogs — especially darker chocolate and smaller dogs.

Robinson told NBC 7 he had previously used signs warning people not to let their dogs poop on his lawn, to no avail.

“People disrespect my yard,” he said. “I’m tired of the stuff.”

The idea he came up with seems to be working. He said people walking their dogs are now crossing the street to avoid his house.

Local dog mom Sarah Fisher has been using social media to warn pet parents about the chocolate chips on Robinson’s lawn.

“If he is doing this – which is like an animal genocide, pretty much – he’s putting it out for animals to ingest and get sick,” she told NBC 7.

Residents in Robinson’s North Park neighborhood called San Diego County Animal Control to complain. Its deputy director, Dan DeSousa, told NBC 7 the case is currently being investigated by both animal control and the San Diego Police Department.

Robinson claimed he doesn’t believe chocolate is harmful for dogs. (Then why did he cover his front lawn with it?)  He told NBC 7 he plans to mow the lawn soon to get rid of the chocolate chips — although city officials may order him to do it sooner.

Ingenious or Evil?

More than 100 comments have been left on the NBC 7 story. I was surprised that many people seem to think Robinson’s method of deterring dogs is ingenious, not evil.

“Let me get this straight. Pet owners won’t be considerate of a homeowner’s property, so he puts chocolate chips on HIS OWN FRONT YARD as a deterrent,” wrote Les Ciapponi. “Then some of these same irresponsible pet owners file a complaint. OK this is crazy. It’s his property! Can’t these people control their pets? I’m sorry, these pet owners who filed a complaint are WHACK!”

Desi Woodburn agreed. “I think his intention is to scare the dog owners away from his yard, which he did,” she wrote. “It’s his own yard, so what’s the big deal? Responsible dog owners keep their dogs on a leash when out and about. Then again, responsible dog owners should be picking up after their pet.”

I agree with those who thought what Robinson did was wrong, particularly since it is harmful to the innocent dogs rather than their irresponsible owners.

“Why make the dogs suffer painfully and possibly die because they crapped on the lawn?” wrote Shelley Sloane. “Why not go after the owners rather than setting it up so any dog that goes by has the possibility of eating this and having health issues because of it?”

Jordan Smith wrote, “I get what he’s doing and I do feel he has a right to take action against this, but the dogs shouldn’t suffer for the irresponsibility of the owner. Dogs don’t know not to poop in a yard, nor are they aware that chocolate is bad for them.”

Photo via Twitter

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