Cannons Creek residents are in a stink about dog owners who don’t clean up after their pets. By Alison Noonan
DODGE the doggy doo or wear it on your shoe.
That’s the dilemma facing Cannons Creek residents who say the walking track along the foreshore is becoming a minefield of dog mess.
A Cannons Creek Residents and Coast Action Group member, who didn’t wish to be named, said the continued failure of dog owners to clean up after their animals was irresponsible and disrespectful of the surrounding area.
He claimed the amount of dog droppings left on paths and nature strips was becoming noticeable throughout the entire neighbourhood and he called on council to take action.
“The situation is getting out of hand,” he said.
“The foreshore walking track is a good spot to walk your dogs but owners need to pick up after them. Everyone walks along but noone cleans up after their animals.
“My neighbour won’t even let their kids walk on the track any more because every time they come back they’re covered in mess.
“It is disgusting,” he said.
He said the final straw came when he witnessed a neighbour dumping a large plastic bag full of dog waste in open space on the foreshore.
“She threw this plastic bag over the fence next to the footpath at the top of the Bluff. It wasn’t even done in the bush, it was in open space on Crown land beside the foreshore.
“And it wasn’t just a little bit, it was a threequarter bucket full.
“As far as I’m concerned it is absolutely disgusting,” he said.
He said the neighbour told him that the faeces was biodegradable, as was the plastic bag, and couldn’t see the harm in her method of disposal.
“Council provides proper places to dispose of dog waste and it is certainly not on foreshore land.
“I think we need another campaign to let people know that this is not acceptable,” he said.
Fellow coast action group member Bill D’Oliveria also encouraged residents to dispose of dog mess the right way.
“It is not necessary to dump it when there are bins everywhere.
“Why dump it?” he said.
Casey Manager Community Safety Brendan Fitzsimmons said anyone who was caught wrongfully dumping rubbish of any kind faced severe penalties.
“Litter is any material that has been deposited in a place it shouldn’t be and clearly this (dumping dog waste) is against the rules.
“It is an offence even not to clean up after your dog in a public place so owners should be disposing of their dog pooh properly.
“It should be wrapped in a plastic bag and disposed of through the domestic garbage,” he said.
He encouraged any residents to report the improper disposal of dog waste to council.
