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“Landmines” have been sighted in Kelowna’s parks — not the military kind, but the ones planted by canines.

Parks Services Manager Ian Wilson has called on pet owners to clean up after their pets, noting that waste matter can be washed into Okanagan Lake.

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“I don’t think people think about the consequences,” Wilson said. “Tourism is huge in this city. It’s the No. 1 reason people come to parks and beaches.”

Leftover dog poo is a big problem, he said. Each of the area’s 38,000 dogs deposits about 124 kilograms of waste per year, and approximately 40 per cent of that is left behind by owners.

“That can be significant. People are concerned. The issue is one of cleanliness. You see landmines in the pathways,” Wilson said. “We want to leave a good impression for the tourists.”

The problem is the same in Metro Vancouver, but experts disagree about whether it is a health issue or one of esthetics.

Metro Vancouver staff said nearly 500 tonnes of dog waste is deposited in regional parks every year — an amount that would require 50 dump trucks to haul it away.