While many Councils provide facilities for dog owners to clean up the indelicate messages their pets leave behind its not easy to ensure everyone uses them. However, Victoria’s City of Yarra has preempted many of the excuses proffered by issuing a free ‘Oops! Pet Mess Pick-Up Kit’ to all dog owners in the City.
The kit consists of a rigid plastic, spring loaded scooper which makes it easy for people to pick up their dogs’ deposits directly into a plastic bag. This is then be placed in a rubbish bin. Council suggests that owners leave the scooper with their dog’s lead so its never forgotten when going out for a walk.
Launching Yarra’s ‘Oops’ campaign, Mayor Steve Watson said Council calls on all dog owners to take responsibility for the problem. “We want dog owners to think about what happens when faeces is left behind in our streets and parks,” he said.
“Tonnes of it finds its way into our rivers and eventually into the bay.” “It also looks unsightly and gives our streets a dirty image. And of course it causes inconvenience and a health risk to people who step in it.
“The Oops Scooper makes it clean and easy to pick up after your dog, so now there are no excuses.” He said Council had a positive response to the Kit from residents who are already using them.
The Department of Natural Resources and the Environment has commended Yarra’s initiative and encourages other Councils to look at innovative ways to rid suburban streets and parks of the problem.
For further information contact Peter Shelton at Yarra’s Community Amenity Unit, telephone (03) 9205 5490.
