As a former Duluthian and current Chicago resident, I think you are overreacting on this. Duluth is one of the most dog-friendly cities I know - just crawling with Mutt Mitt dispensers. Simply drop in the next trash can, wherever and whoever's it may be. Even Dear Abby says so:

http://www.uexpress.com/dearabby/?uc_full_date=20090921

The big house across from Buffalo Park.

I think the point Emily brought up is that in Chicago, there are no "private" garbage cans. The municipality provides the cans and the service- it doesn't matter who's garbage goes in what can. I don't see the City being interested in this and unfortunately, I don't see the City putting out additional "public" garbage cans in a time of economic uncertainty. We need a dog poop raygun that will instantly vaporize dog waste like a Ferengi Phasor!

Yes, you must pick up after your dog in Duluth.

Because of budget cuts the garbage cans were removed from the parks. There used to be trash cans in Portland Square Park and at Chester Creek near  4th Street and 14th Avenue E. Everyone screams about taxes. So this was one of the things that got cut.

I once put some dog poo in a dumpster behind an apartment complex and a resident yelled at me for putting garbage in "their" dumpster.

She did chill out when she realized it was just dog poo and that I wasn't being a cheapsake by not paying for garbage service by dumping my garbage in someone Else's dumpster.

Here's one perspective on why people are possessive of their garbage cans: Where I used to live (Santa Cruz, CA), we had municipal garbage but the city was hardcore about limiting the garbage into the landfill.  So if you filled your bin, they wouldn't take any extra bags unless you paid extra for special tags to put on it.  So often folks would only pay for the smallest can possible and then try to dump their extra trash in a neighbor's can.  This used to happen to us quite a bit so as a result I rarely left my trash can out where others could access it.  Since moving to Duluth, I've done the same -- I guess old habits die hard -- but I've noticed that the local trash companies aren't nearly as stringent about taking an extra bag when the can is full so maybe I needn't be so careful.

Seriously, I don't care what Dr. Abby thinks is appropriate.  A lot of us around here take our trash cans indoors into our garage, shed, alcove or whatever it takes to keep the racoons\crows\squirrels and other rodents out.  Please don't put your dogs shit in there.

For those who don't agree with Dear Abby, maybe Larry David could sway you?

Rachel, I was just thinking of that Larry David episode!

Yes. Va-poo-rize!