‘Selfish’ dog owners slammed for ‘disgusting’ community habit
- Replies 2
The residents of Gymea Bay in Sydney’s South are sick of what they’ve now branded ‘selfish’ dog owners.
While most responsible pet owners look after their furry friends–it seems the minority are leaving a disgusting mess on the ground that many believe is ruining their public gathering space.
Outraged locals recently took to the Gymea Bay Community social media page to share details of the ‘disgusting’ behaviour that has reportedly been taking place at their popular local park, Gymea Bay Oval, for some time now.
According to local volunteer Gary Riggers, as seen in the photo above, the problem lies with a 'few' irresponsible dog owners who are reportedly dumping bags of dog poo near the fence, on the ground, and even on top of the cage where the bins are. It’s leaving the locals who use the field for soccer matches with a shocking mess in the aftermath.
‘We have experienced problems with dog owners leaving bags of poo near the cage and in the wire fencing,’ he said.
Mr Riggers even trialled putting a bin outside the fence with the words ‘dog poo only’ written on it–but this too proved futile with ‘selfish’ dog owners still throwing their bags on the ground.
It’s worth noting that the bins inside the fence are needed for ground control by the local football club and are locked up when there are no games–leaving frustrated dog owners with nowhere to put their waste.
Now, even more frustrated residents are calling for security cameras to survey the Park to catch the perpetrators in the act.
Others hope that Sutherland Shire Council could create a permanent bin for dog poo that could be emptied at regular intervals and made available all year round.
'The best result for the oval would be a permanent bin that would be emptied by the council once a week,' Mr Riggers suggested.
'This would hopefully stop people leaving their dog business near the fence or on the roof!!'
A spokesperson from Sutherland Shire Council seemed to acknowledge Mr Rigger’s plea, saying: ‘Sutherland Shire Council is aware of concerns about pet owners failing to properly dispose of dog waste, particularly around local sports fields and other Council-managed open spaces.’
‘Picking up after your dog while out in public is an essential part of responsible pet ownership.’
‘Council staff are out in the community actively patrolling public areas each day to ensure compliance, to respond to specific complaints from members of the community, to educate pet owners of their responsibilities and to issue fines where warranted.’
Most councils have hefty fines for not collecting your dog’s waste and properly disposing of it. In Sutherland Shire, it varies between councils but can be as much as $275.
The council, however, remains silent on whether they would install a permanent bin at Gymea Bay Oval or not.
Gymea Bay is the most recent town we’ve covered with a poo-rplexing dog waste problem.
A couple similarly found themselves struggling daily with this ‘disgusting’ problem at a beach in Bilinga on the Gold Coast.
‘I am disgusted at the excessive amount of dog poo that is regularly left on our beaches and walkways in Bilinga,’ the man said while recalling his multiple encounters with irresponsible dog owners.
While the woman added: 'This is paradise here, it's absolutely beautiful, and these people are just crapping all over it.'
You can read more about this story here.
Have you encountered any messy issues like this in your community? Share your stories with us in the comments below.
While most responsible pet owners look after their furry friends–it seems the minority are leaving a disgusting mess on the ground that many believe is ruining their public gathering space.
Outraged locals recently took to the Gymea Bay Community social media page to share details of the ‘disgusting’ behaviour that has reportedly been taking place at their popular local park, Gymea Bay Oval, for some time now.
Dog owners were reported for their ‘disgusting’ behaviour at Gymea Bay Oval. Image source: Facebook.
According to local volunteer Gary Riggers, as seen in the photo above, the problem lies with a 'few' irresponsible dog owners who are reportedly dumping bags of dog poo near the fence, on the ground, and even on top of the cage where the bins are. It’s leaving the locals who use the field for soccer matches with a shocking mess in the aftermath.
‘We have experienced problems with dog owners leaving bags of poo near the cage and in the wire fencing,’ he said.
Mr Riggers even trialled putting a bin outside the fence with the words ‘dog poo only’ written on it–but this too proved futile with ‘selfish’ dog owners still throwing their bags on the ground.
It’s worth noting that the bins inside the fence are needed for ground control by the local football club and are locked up when there are no games–leaving frustrated dog owners with nowhere to put their waste.
Now, even more frustrated residents are calling for security cameras to survey the Park to catch the perpetrators in the act.
Others hope that Sutherland Shire Council could create a permanent bin for dog poo that could be emptied at regular intervals and made available all year round.
'The best result for the oval would be a permanent bin that would be emptied by the council once a week,' Mr Riggers suggested.
'This would hopefully stop people leaving their dog business near the fence or on the roof!!'
A spokesperson from Sutherland Shire Council seemed to acknowledge Mr Rigger’s plea, saying: ‘Sutherland Shire Council is aware of concerns about pet owners failing to properly dispose of dog waste, particularly around local sports fields and other Council-managed open spaces.’
‘Picking up after your dog while out in public is an essential part of responsible pet ownership.’
‘Council staff are out in the community actively patrolling public areas each day to ensure compliance, to respond to specific complaints from members of the community, to educate pet owners of their responsibilities and to issue fines where warranted.’
Most councils have hefty fines for not collecting your dog’s waste and properly disposing of it. In Sutherland Shire, it varies between councils but can be as much as $275.
The council, however, remains silent on whether they would install a permanent bin at Gymea Bay Oval or not.
Gymea Bay is the most recent town we’ve covered with a poo-rplexing dog waste problem.
A couple similarly found themselves struggling daily with this ‘disgusting’ problem at a beach in Bilinga on the Gold Coast.
‘I am disgusted at the excessive amount of dog poo that is regularly left on our beaches and walkways in Bilinga,’ the man said while recalling his multiple encounters with irresponsible dog owners.
While the woman added: 'This is paradise here, it's absolutely beautiful, and these people are just crapping all over it.'
You can read more about this story here.
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