A good dog on Wellington's waterfront, but elsewhere in the city there have been bad owners.

There has been a leap in complaints about dog poop on Wellington pavements as lockdown takes an unexpected and unhygienic turn.

The problem is so bad in Broadmeadows they've stopped counting Teddy bears and started counting bare turds.

Confirmation comes alongside a raft of posts from social media community groups in Wellington and Porirua, pointing out footpaths are becoming a minefield in the new level 4 world.

A Wellington council spokeswoman said the increase was likely due to high volumes of people walking pooches more regularly and closer to home rather than at exercise areas.

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​"One little boy gave up counting Teddies and instead counted eight poos on his walk in Broadmeadows."

Other hotspots included Johnsonville, Lyall Bay, and Wilton - while a poo bag was found in a Khandallah stream. "And we had one complaint about horse poo."

ROSA WOODS Wellington City Council will not be restocking poo-bag dispensers as they are a potential coronavirus risk.

Wellington City was not restocking dog poo bags, "as it was not deemed an essential service and potentially a risk for transmitting Covid-19", the spokeswoman said.

"However, any plastic bag will do. Keep these from your shopping - empty bread bags, plastic bags that food comes in. Also online sales from pet shops. Make sure you take them home and put them in your household rubbish – or in a public bin if there's room."

Under a council bylaw, people who did not immediately remove their dog's poop could face a $300 fine.

ROSA WOODS Happy dogs chilling out in Wellington near the waterfront.

On Neighbourly, Andrea Hodson from Tawa said she had definitely seen an increase in poop on walkways and paths.

"There is no excuse because the several rubbish bins I walk past are empty and still get emptied. It's lazy and disgusting."

The increase was being noticed as far north as the Kāpiti Coast, where Waikanae woman Judith Bennett said she and her husband spoke earlier this week about the increasing mess on berms and footpaths.

"It's only been noticeable to us since lockdown, so it's people who usually work but now going 'walkies'."

123rf Dog walkers have been urged to consider others and pick up after their dogs while out walking.

A Porirua City Council spokesman said there had not been an increase in complaints in that city.

The council had not supplied bags to dog owners for some years,and dispensers were removed "as they were costly to maintain and people were taking bags home for their own use".

The council expected people to pick up after their dogs and dispose of the poo appropriately, he said.

"This hasn't changed under alert level 4 and if anything is more important than ever as a consideration for other people using the streets and parks to get their daily exercise."

123rf Autumn in Wellington comes with more than leaves on the footpath, thanks to people walking more during the coronavirus lockdown.

Apart from several comments in the first week of the lockdown, there had not been an increase in complaints to Kāpiti Coast District Council.

Dog owners were supplied with a box of poop bags with annual registration, and there were poo-bag pods at council dog parks.

A council spokeswoman said while dog parks were closed during level 4 restrictions, "these pods are being replenished and owners can reach over the gate to grab a bag if needed".