news, local-news,

George Street has been described as a “mine field” and Abbott Street nicknamed “pooville”. With more than 10,000 registered dogs in the City of Launceston, it seems not everyone is acting responsibly when it comes to picking up after their pooch. Earlier this month Casey Council in Victoria implemented tough new laws to crack down on their city’s dog mess, with fines of up to $500 for people who fail to pick up after their pooch. Walking a dog without a pooch poo bag on hand can also land pet owners a $200 on the spot fine. Currently in Tasmania, fines for not picking up after a dog start at $159, under the Dog Control Act of 2000. The Examiner received an overwhelming response to a call-out for the worst areas for dog mess around the city, with many readers sharing their experiences on Facebook. ”People seem to think that there is a poo fairy that will pick up their dog’s doo doo,” Rose Diamond wrote. “I can’t walk along Invermay Road without playing dodge the turds,” Karolyn Crack said. Many people shared their concerns about the amount of full dog bags found in garden beds – both public and private. Toni Hainsworth Johnstone said she sees countless bags while walking her dog along Invermay Road. “Because there are no bins, people do the right thing but then they just get sick of carrying them,” she said. “These are good areas to walk dogs just please provide the appropriate paraphernalia.” Despite more than 100 dog bag dispensers spread across the city’s parks and reserves, City of Launceston general manager Michael Stretton said not all dog owners act responsibly. "The vast majority of dog owners are considerate, responsible and proud pet owners, who strive to do the right thing by their animals and by other people,” he said. “As with any aspect of society, there are some who choose to do the wrong thing, and the state government has legislation in place to penalise those people.” Mr Stretton said people can make evidentiary-based complaints to their local council, which may be able to investigate dog owners who are not doing the right thing.

https://nnimgt-a.akamaihd.net/transform/v1/crop/frm/38cRyaHuZnspnzDxYNWhJCn/9b4d94d8-0c03-46a4-ac10-65c7ab08cf57.jpg/r111_0_1941_1034_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg