By Rebecca Fraser
DOGGY doo will no longer cause a stink in Casey following a new council initiative.
At its last meeting for 2005, Casey Council moved to step up its fight against dog excrement at parks and recreation reserves.
Council officers moved that council incorporate the requirements to clean up dog poo into the existing Waste and Litter Reduction Education Program.
It was also resolved that at the next review of Local Law no 2 consideration be given to changing clause 3.7 to force people with a dog to carry an appropriate bag or container and dispose of excrement.
Council also moved that officers use the Victorian Litter Action Alliance (VLAA) kit as a guide for the implementation of strategies to reduce dog excrement in public areas.
In a further step $7,500 was referred for consideration to the 2006/07 budget for a 12month trial of additional litter bins and bag dispensers in three different parks across Casey.
Last September, Casey mayor Kevin Bradford raised concerns about dog pollution, admitting excrement had become a problem in many parks in Casey.
Cr Bradford said while council wanted to encourage people to use parks to walk their dogs, the problem was remembering to clean up “when the natural act occurred.”
He said the mess left parks unsafe and also posed a potential health problem.
Following this, councillors backed a report to look at various types of dog excrement collection systems and in December they voted to adopt the approach as outlined by the VLAA kit.
The VLAA kit contains information on dog excrement litter management for councils with suggestions including providing dog owners with personal bag carriers that attach to the dog’s lead so they will never be caught without a bag.
Other suggestions include installing excrement bag dispensers in parks, fencing areas to keep dogs out, educational signage and disposal units.
A council report noted that two bag dispensers at Wilson Botanic Park in Berwick were being well used with the bags and excrement disposed of in the onsite litter bins.
The City of Frankston has installed 46 bins in reserves and also said the bins had been very successful in reducing dog excrement in parks.
At last month’s meeting River Gum ward councillor Wayne Smith said the new initiative was a good move.
“I hope that this will help dog owners in Casey to be more responsible.
“A lot of dog owners already bring their own bags but this will encourage the practice more,” Cr Smith said.
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