This is why this love text is applied to the cycling and hiking trails

In the neighborhoods of Buytenwegh and De Leyens, among others, chalk drawings appear in the streets of Zoetermeer. It says: ‘Love is… cleaning up the poop too’ in combination with a man walking a dog, with a bag in hand. The message is quite clear, but who is behind this action and why? We’ll figure it out.

We don’t have to look far because it concerns an action of the municipality. There are many reports of dog poop nuisance here.

In two districts

Near the Meerpolder in De Leyens and in the Hovenbuurt we encountered the chalk drawings on the streets. When we ask a dog owner in De Leyens if he knows where the drawings come from, the man has no idea: “It would be better for them to clear up litter. That bothers me more.”

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The municipality receives many reports of dog poop nuisance in the De Leyens and Buytenwegh districts. “Dog poop nuisance is number 1 in the annoyance top 10 both nationally and in our city,” explains a spokesperson. “We mapped out the locations of nuisance in these two neighbourhoods. We applied a chalk drawing with this text in those places.”

Poop rewards

The drawings are applied with chalk spray, which disappear after a few weeks. In addition, owners who clean up the poop properly are rewarded by the enforcement team in the Buytenwegh district. What that reward is, remains a mystery to us for a while.

Also spotted a mystery?

Another mystery solved! Do you also have a question about Zoetermeer? indebuurt is looking into it! Mail your mystery to [email protected].