Photo by outlandk.

If you’ve never experienced the proliferation of geese on the National Mall during the warmer months, you’ve certainly stepped on their droppings. It’s everywhere.

Don’t worry, the National Park Service is aware of the goose poop problem and they’re totally on it. How, you ask? With dogs. Border collies, specifically. According to the NPS, they’re proposing a plan to use the dogs to “relocate” the large flocks of Canadian geese that populate the National Mall and leave their dookie everywhere.

The NPS says that one goose produces as much as “2-3 pounds” of shit per day on the Mall, which, apart from generally being a bummer for pedestrians who accidentally step in it, causes damage to the Reflecting Pool’s pumps and filters, “degrade the park’s natural and cultural resources,” and poses a potential health hazard.

So how do dogs lead to less goose doodie on the Mall? The border collies are bred to heard sheep and “have a natural instinct to round up flocks of geese.” Thus the geese will be forced to leave that area and find a different area to leave their turds on all day. Problem solved.

Anyway, the plan is still just a proposal and the NPS are accepting public comments online through April 22.