Pirimai Residents' Association member Gordon Anderson said levels of dog excrement left on footpaths have increased during lockdown. Photo / Supplied
Pirimai Residents' Association member Gordon Anderson said levels of dog excrement left on footpaths have increased during lockdown. Photo / Supplied
The amount of dog poo on the streets of Napier has increased during the Covid-19 lockdown.
Pirimai resident Gordon Anderson said the level of dog excrement not picked up has risen during recent weeks.
"I have been walking the cross country drain pathway in Napier for the past 11 years," he said.
"I have observed a huge increase in the number of doggy dumps in the past two weeks. It is more than I have seen over those 11 years.
"Napier City Council has closed off many of the parks due to the virus management, so dog owners started looking for other areas to exercise their pooches."
Napier City Council said staff were aware of the increase in both dog walkers and dog poo in recent weeks. Photo / Supplied
A Napier City Council (NCC) spokeswoman admitted the volume of dog poo on the city's streets had risen in recent weeks.
"NCC is aware of the increase in dog walkers and also what is unfortunately being left behind throughout the city since the lockdown began," she said.
"As the bag dispensers NCC usually fills are currently empty, due to the new supply not being up-to-scratch, and an inability during the pandemic to source suitable replacements, the council has also suggested alternatives for dog owners, such as purchasing bags from supermarkets.
"We have to trust the community to do the right thing, and we believe the majority of dog owners are doing so."
Anderson said he and other members of the Pirimai Residents' Association have begun helping clear the streets.
"I read about the man in Waimarama picking up the rubbish and thought 'good on him and good on the community for making that happen'," he said.
"As part of the association's community improvement programme, we have implemented a similar programme, but are dealing with a more unmentionable topic - the littering of doggy-do on a public pathway.
"With the help of NCC we've erected signs, notices and collection bags and it's working. It's not a nice topic, but this kind of pollution is happening all over, and we did something about it."
The NCC spokeswoman said the council continues to work with Anderson and the association to combat the mounting problem.
"We have worked with the Pirimai Residents' Association to figure out the best places to put these signs in their area and have also been encouraging people to continue good dog-owner behaviour, that is, to pick up their pet's droppings," she said.
"This has been through the aforementioned signs and through social media - both posts and the mayor-and-sign videos."
Hastings District Council also released a dog owner responsibility guide, calling on their residents to stay on top of their pet duties.
The guide reminded dog owners they must register their dog by the age of 3 months, then every year after that, while making sure the dog has everything to keep it healthy and happy including proper shelter, clean water and food.
Dog control officers can enter a private property and remove a dog if it is left without food or water, if it is not confined and can freely leave the property, or if a court orders that it be removed, among other conditions.
