COMMENT OF THE DAY: REDUCING THE USE OF PLASTIC ON THE TRAIL “why not have designated pooping grounds along the trails and get rid of the useless trash altogether? just treat your dogs like people and kids, kick them along and make them hold it until they can reach a ‘pooping grounds.’ only those that can’t reach the grounds should have to bag it.” [joel, commenting on The Multicolored Poop Bags of the Heights Hike and Bike Trail]
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THE MULTICOLORED POOP BAGS OF THE HEIGHTS HIKE AND BIKE TRAIL Alas — or should that be phew!? — no photos accompanied this brief report sent to Swamplot’s tip line: “Not sure if this qualifies for publication but I am not sure where else to turn to give this attention. Unfortunately I don’t jog with my camera so no photo yet but hope to submit one at some point. There are dog walkers that go through all the effort to bag their dogs’ poop only to toss it on the Houston Heights hike and bike trail. On any given day there are nice colorful bags of poop along the trail especially on the stretch from I-10 up to Nicholson. Pink, yellow, brown, black, and even turquoise bags preserving dog poop for all to enjoy. I am a bit perplexed at this practice of poop art.” [Swamplot inbox]
PUSHING BEYOND “PAWS ON THE PATIO” 
Heights, Midtown, and Washington Ave burger joint Christian’s Tailgate serves dogs too! Pictured at right is a meal of hamburger, fries, a donut, and “doggie beer” from the local chain’s “Mutt Menu” of “gourmet dog treats.” [Christian’s Tailgate Bar & Grill, via b4-u-eat; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Christian’s Tailgate
A reader sends in this photo from over the weekend, illustrating what townhouse neighbors can accomplish when they pitch in together — this time at the corner of 20th and Arlington St.
Photo: Stating the Obvious
COMMENT OF THE DAY: FERAL CATS, THE SCOURGE OF HYDE PARK “Okay, I have been dealing with ferals for about 3 years, ever since moving to Hyde Park. They drive me nuts, but you can get the population reduced by spaying all the females. If you neuter or remove a male, another will come in. I still have problems with neighbors who don’t completely understand the gravity of the situation — ie, they mean well, but they don’t help. I have worked extensively with a neighborhood friend to help reduce the numbers and have been very successful. And for those who don’t think ferals are a problem: 1) They crap EVERYWHERE and are a potential source of disease. 2) Toms are aggressive towards our dog and us. 3) They kill songbirds, A LOT of them. 4) They get run over on a regular basis — perhaps Darwinism at work, but a potential serious accident waiting to happen for those trying to avoid hitting them, and a nasty mess in the street when they die. 5) They come into your yard and are aggressive to your cats who have every reasonable right to be in your yard. 6) They are a nuisance. Sure, kittens are cute, but they can have a litter of 4 in about a year. Guess how many cats can be produced in just 7 years from one pregnant female and her offspring? 370,000. Staggering. Of course, you aren’t realistically going to see those numbers, but you get the idea. If you can trap them — trap them humanely. Take them to the SPCA, or to BARC. If you can afford to get them spayed or neutered, do so and get them back in the same neighborhood. I know this sounds silly, but even if you got rid of 99% of a colony in your neighborhood, you will wind up with them being replaced. If you spay or neuter, it seems to stabilize. And trust me, doing that is easier than convincing some neighbors to help stop the cycle.” [Bruce, commenting on Cats Still Hanging Around West U Apartments, Unaware of Redevelopment Plans]
CATS STILL HANGING AROUND WEST U APARTMENTS, UNAWARE OF REDEVELOPMENT PLANS 
A group of 25 or so cats still hanging around the 2-and-a-half-acre grounds of the recently vacated Courts at West University apartments at 3810 Law St. have apparently not been informed of the 5-story Alexan West University complex set to go up on their old stomping grounds. An animal advocacy group concerned that the cats may get in the way when the existing buildings are demolished early next month has sounded the alarm, requesting donations and assistance in setting up a feeding station away from the demo site, as well as finding adoptive and foster homes for the uninformed animals. [West University Examiner; previously on Swamplot] Photo of Elmo at Courts of West University: Kathy Golding
GIANT NEON COCKROACH THAT HAUNTED SOUTHWEST FREEWAY, ERADICATED AT LAST 
Bubba, the cockroach enshrined in an enormous neon sign for Holder’s Pest Control, which stood guard for years along Westpark next to the Southwest Freeway, will not return to the Houston skyline, the company reports. The 8-ft.-by-16-ft. sign was taken down in 2004, after Holder’s relocated. But after almost 8 years of residence in a company warehouse, the sign was “cut up and hauled off for recycling” earlier this year, reports Travis Alford. That menacing, old-fashioned cockroach is no longer a part of the brand identity of the company now known as Holder’s Pest Solutions, and it won’t be coming back. Holder’s just-unveiled new logo instead features a gentle curve at its top that references instead a much more modern feature of Houston: the Astrodome. [Houston Chronicle] Photo: Holder’s Pest Control
STOLEN FROM A CLOSELY GUARDED GARDEN 
Yes, those bees were under camera surveillance; don’t even think they aren’t watching the radishes too. A beehive on the small garden campus adjacent to Haven Restaurant on Algerian Way near the corner of Kirby and the 59 feeder was stolen in the early morning hours Saturday, by someone driving a dark truck with a camper — reports chef Randy Evans after reviewing security footage. Film at 11 5, promises KTRK reporter Miya Shay. [Twitter] Photo: Miya Shay
COMMENT OF THE DAY: LICKED CLEAN BY MILLIONS OF COCKROACHES “Roaches? I didn’t leave them out. I just didn’t see any — as in, not one. No living creatures at all, except us humans. The place smelled clean, like fresh water. I wonder where those roaches went…. and (ugh) what they were eating down there in the ’80s.” [Lisa Gray, commenting on Comment of the Day: The Cockroaches Found That Cistern First]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: THE COCKROACHES FOUND THAT CISTERN FIRST “Back in ’83 until about ’85 my buddies Colin Mazzola, Keith Tashima and myself would go down an open hatch into that thing — they closed it up sometime around ’86 or ’87 — this was back when jogging around the North side os Allen Parkway (near the celemetaries) was a little sketchy — people hanging out in the park near/under the Memorial Dr underpasses — anyway, what Lisa Gray left out was the 10 million roaches down there — we couldn’t hang out there for long — you couldn’t sit down or hang — BUT it was really cool and I remember being totally amazed that the City had an underground aqueduct/storm sewer overflow (yes it flooded and was impossible to go down the ladder) that was open and pretty much abandoned.” [David Beebe, commenting on Poking Around in Buffalo Bayou’s Abandoned Basement]
WHERE TO FIND THE PAWS THAT REFRESH 
Not 4 months into the city’s canine-friendly outdoor dining program, there are now a grand total of 12 Houston restaurants that have gained official approval to let customers bring dogs to their patios. More than half of the pooch-friendly establishments are in Montrose or River Oaks; only one is outside the Loop. [Eater Houston; previously on Swamplot] Photo: Paws on Patios
MOSQUITO COMMENT OF THE DAY: WHAT DOES NOT KILL THEM MAKES THEM LARGER “UH sprayed on Monday. Now they are just bigger.” [awp, commenting on Comment of the Day: Getting Serious, Now That Our Air Conditioned Defenses Have Been Breached]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: GETTING SERIOUS, NOW THAT OUR AIR CONDITIONED DEFENSES HAVE BEEN BREACHED “A mosquito just bit me on the face. IN MY OFFICE ON THE 6TH FLOOR.” [Susan, commenting on Comment of the Day: Attack of the Giant Vampire Mosquitoes]
COMMENT OF THE DAY: ATTACK OF THE GIANT VAMPIRE MOSQUITOES “My dog was carried off while we were walking at Memorial Park. I lost 6 lbs – not from walking, but from blood loss . . .” [Ellie Mae, commenting on Mosquitoes Reclaim Houston]
Okay, swatters. Got any weekend war stories to share? Add accounts of your latest battles in the comments section below.
- Swarms of mosquitoes spotted across the Houston area [KHOU]
- Mosquitoes swarm, but relief is on the way [Houston Chronicle]
- Mosquitoes seem to be swarming Houston [Newswatch]
Photo: Christine Tremoulet [license]
