Irresponsible dog owners on notice as Rangers go undercover |
City of Sydney Rangers are going undercover in mid July to catch irresponsible dog owners who fail to pick up after their dogs in popular dog-walking parks across the City Centre and inner city suburbs.
City of Sydney Director of City Services Garry Harding said the plain-clothes Rangers will be targeting all parks and reserves in the City of Sydney issuing $275 on the spot penalty notices.
"The vast majority of dog owners understand that part of being a responsible owner is picking up after your dog and most carry bags with them or use free bags available in parks,"Mr Harding said. "Unfortunately a small percentage still doesnt get the message.
"Despite more than 18 months of education including more than 570 park visits and 300 hours of face-to-face education by uniformed City Rangers last month alone, some dog owners arent being responsible and it reflects poorly on the majority who do the right thing.
"Stepping in dog waste can ruin a family picnic or a morning jog and many parents have expressed concern about hygiene issues for young children,"Mr Harding said.
"Uniformed Rangers have found dog owners are generally responsible during patrols, but some irresponsible dog owners change their behaviour when Rangers leave.
"Those dog owners are now on notice to be responsible or face a fine. And theyll no longer be able to tell who is and who isnt a Ranger."
The City of Sydney manages about 350 parks including 33 off-leash parks. Plain clothes Rangers will patrol all parks particularly in the morning and evening when dog walking is common.
The City of Sydney has 260 dog tidy stations at all off-leash parks and all major dog walking parks which supply free biodegradable bags.
Rangers will also be handing out dog waste flyers to dog walkers in City of Sydney parks advising them of their responsibilities.
Under Section 20 of the Companion Animals Act 1998, if a dog defecates in a public place, the owner of the dog or the adult in charge of that dog must "immediately remove the dogs faeces and properly dispose of them".
❊ Web Links ❊
➼ Irresponsible dog owners on notice as Rangers go undercover
➼ www.sydneymedia.com.au
➼ www.cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au
Update Page
