About 15,000 dogs are registered in the City of Cockburn, and with about 400 parks and reserves available for dogs to exercise with their owners, community desire for access to a dog poo fairy remains stronger than ever.
The City of Cockburn has moved to remind dog owners that the dog poo fairy – while a commendable proposition that everyone would appreciate – doesn’t exist.
“As much as we wish there was a fairy to help us achieve some of the more unsavoury tasks in life, the fact is, the onus sits firmly with dog owners to do the right thing,” City of Cockburn Service Manager Rangers and Community Safety Luke Scott said.
“Bag it and bin it to help keep our parks clean.”
The City has installed ‘There is no dog poo fairy’ signs at three popular Cockburn parks as a light-hearted but serious reminder for people to take responsibility for cleaning up after their dogs.
Mr Scott said while the signs were tongue-in-cheek, stepping in dog poo was never funny.
“One of the most common and ongoing complaints City Rangers get from local residents, and even our staff, is dog faeces left in parks,” Mr Scott said.
“We can issue infringements but we’d much prefer to partner with our community and provide education about the right thing to do, for everyone’s health and safety, including our precious pet dogs, native wildlife and natural wetland areas.”
Mr Scott said the City spent about $100,000 annually providing compostable dog poo bags at the City’s parks and reserves, with the Parks team regularly replacing bags at parks and reserves, and Rangers replacing them at dog beaches.
There are many reasons why removing dog poo from the environment is important, including:
- Dog waste can carry harmful bacteria, parasites and nutrients. They can increase the risk of disease spreading, including in waterways via the stormwater system
- Bacteria and parasites from dog poo can make people, dogs and wildlife seriously ill
- Uncollected dog poo is unpleasant and reduces the enjoyment of reserves, parks, and beaches for other members of the community
- Picking up dog poo is part of responsible pet ownership and helps ensure people and pets can live together harmoniously
- Public spaces are shared by everyone, not just dog owners. Removing dog poo helps keep parks clean and suitable for sports, picnics, and social activities
- Under the City of Cockburn Local Laws, dog owners are required to pick up and properly dispose of their dog’s waste. Failure to comply may result in a fine.
Mr Scott said the City did all it could to ensure dog poo bags were available at parks and reserves but also realised there were sometimes supply issues.
“We strive to have the bag dispensers refilled but we also encourage dog owners to carry their own rubbish bags as part of being responsible for disposing of their pets’ waste.
“Full poo bags should then be disposed of in a red-lid general waste bin. Please don’t leave the bags on the ground where they will biodegrade and expose the faeces to the environment, and the people and animals in it.”
The educational signs have been installed at Bibra Lake Regional Park, Coogee Beach Reserve and Manning Park.
Find out more about responsible pet ownership on the City’s
website.