Opposition party pooh-poohs giant dog doo sculpture on Montreal bus shelter

MONTREAL, Sept. 2 (UPI) -- Opposition leaders in a Canadian city are pooh-poohing the city's decision to top a bus shelter with a giant dog poop sculpture -- complete with oversized flies.

Projet Montreal, a municipal political party in the Quebec city, said the Dorchester Square bus shelter sculpture, which is designed to remind pet owners to clean up their dog doo, pushes the limits of good taste.

"I feel this misses the mark. They want to shock and they did shock," City Councilor Craig Sauve, a Projet Montreal member, told CBC News. "How will this appear to tourists, why is it in front of a historic park we just renovated?"

The city said the sculpture, which includes giant flies circling the faux feces, is part of a $540,000 cleanliness campaign that also includes billboards, street performances and videos.

"Every year we do the same campaign with traditional communications," said Anie Samson, a member of the city's executive committee. "This year we decided to go further and make it more punchy."

Samson said the sculpture is meant to be attention-grabbing.

"It's a way to sensitize people: this is what happens when you litter. We need people to react and make city cleaner," she said.