AN EXTRAORDINARY loophole in state legislation classifying horses as vehicles has left residents to clean up after mounted police after their steeds drop waste around the streets of Redfern and Surry Hills.

Horses from the NSW Police Force’s Mounted Unit in Redfern regularly defecate around the City’s inner south as officers patrol the streets — with no expectation that it will be cleaned up by the state and leaving locals to sweep the waste off the road or under trees just to avoid stepping or driving through the mess.

While under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 City of Sydney rangers can issue on the spot fines of up to $275 each time locals fail to pick up their pets poo, no action can be taken to force police to clean up after their equine companions as horses are not considered companion animals, or animals at all — but legally defined as vehicles.

media_camera Police on horses return to the Redfern mounted police barracks on Baptist St in Redfern. Photo: Joel Carrett

Police dog handlers are required to clean up after their police dog, on and off duty, but there are no acts or regulations involving horses or manure under the CAA, nor the Local Government Act or even under Australian road rules.

The NSWPF has no agreement with the City — who receives up to two complaints a week about horse poo — regarding cleaning of waste from the horses leaving locals to fend for themselves

Redfern local Michael Bilbe-Taylor said the expectation that locals should have to put up with horse manure throughout the inner city while being required under threat of a fine to clean up dog poo was unreasonable.

“I feel that there is a fair expectation upon Redfern residents who own dogs to pick up after them. This is apparent given the city of Sydney’s placement of dog-litter bags through the neighbourhood,” Mr Bilbe-Taylor said.

“Yet police horses routinely leave their droppings on streets all around the barracks and in some instances residents have swept them under trees or otherwise moved them away from the main thoroughfares,” he said.

media_camera Police horses have no regard for the streets of Surry Hills and Redfern. media_camera Residents are left to clean up the mess.

Given how narrow the streets the police sometimes lead their horses down, “it can be rather difficult to avoid the horse droppings, whether on foot or riding a bicycle,” Mr Bilbe-Taylor said.

“It would be constructive to hear what the police have to say on this as it doesn’t seem unreasonable that they be expected to clean up after their animals just like the rest of us.”

A NSWPF spokesman said NSW Mounted Police horses were used for operational policing and “as such are deemed to be on duty and working, whether walking on the roadway, footpath or on beaches”.

While complaints did occur, they were rare “as most people appreciate the unique police presence,” he said.

media_camera It should actually say, ‘Caution, horse manure’. Picture: Joel Carrett

A City spokesman said its cleansing unit regularly attends streets frequented by police horses, with a particular focus on Baptist St, Boronia Ln and Cooper Ln in Redfern, and responds to complaints from the public regarding horse waste on the same day.

“The City recognises that horses play a vital role assisting NSW Police officers in their operations,” the spokesman said.