‘Absolutely disgusting’ discovery at NSW south coast beach sparks urgent warning from Bega Council
A council has come under fire from Australian dog owners after dozens of bags full of dog poop were found on a pristine beach.
The nasty discovery was just one of many discoveries made recently by Bega Valley Shire Council in an ongoing issue with dog owners at Merimbula Beach on the NSW south coast.
The municipality uploaded images via social media on Tuesday of 20 plastic rubbish bags piled on the sand just meters from the water.
Another bag was tied to a tree branch.
“Let’s keep our beautiful Main Beach clean and safe for everyone,” the post read.
‘Remember that a real dog outing means packing your own dog waste bags and disposing of them responsibly in a waste bin.’
The council has since removed dog poop dispensers from the beach’s main entrance and other hotspots in the hope of tackling the problem.
“The Council would like to encourage pet owners to take more responsibility for proper waste disposal,” said Trudi Badullovich, ranger coordinator. Yahoo.
Disrespectful dog owners have been criticized by Bega Valley Shire Council after dozens of bags full of dog poop were found on Merimbula Beach
The council has since removed rubbish bag removers from the beach (pictured) in a bid to ‘encourage pet owners to take more responsibility for proper waste disposal’
“The Council is actively addressing the challenges posed by dog waste and litter bags, which can deteriorate if left on beaches, endangering marine life.”
‘We urge residents to use their own bags and dispose of them in rubbish bins.’
The council will also increase the number of foot patrols and take action if dog owners are spotted dumping the bags on the beach.
Anyone who does not dispose of their bags properly will be fined $500 for littering.
Leaving dog waste behind can result in a $275 fine.
The Facebook post was flooded with comments from locals, who were equally outraged.
“If you can’t clean up after the dog, don’t get a dog,” one person wrote.
Another added: ‘Disgusting and extremely irresponsible, shame on these dog owners.’
A third commented: ‘I’m absolutely shocked to see this’, a third commented, adding: ‘What are these dog owners thinking?’.
Another resident claimed the problem had spread to other surrounding areas and they had seen ‘many more poop dogs on footpaths in the town’.
“Some people just don’t care,” they wrote.
One bag filled with dog waste (pictured) was tied to a tree on Merimbula’s main beach
But not everyone agreed.
Other locals claimed that removing the dispensers will increase the amount of dog waste left behind and that there should be more waste bins.
“I don’t have my dog anymore so it doesn’t apply to me but there has to be a better answer,” one person wrote.
Another said: ‘I don’t understand how removing the doggie bag dispenser will solve the problem. You will certainly have fewer bags on the beach, but a lot more s***.”