Ōrākei community fuming about dog waste
• April 16, 2024
Full dog poo bags and rubbish accumulating. Photo: Chantelle De Penning
Full dog poo bags scattered along Ōrākei Basin following Auckland Council's cost-saving removal of some rubbish bins is angering locals.
Residents like Harriet O'Donaghue are furious at the amount of bags sitting around for days and sometimes weeks.
She's noticed the consequence of no bins out on her daily walk around Orakei Basin.
“Dog poo bags everywhere, especially in the box that says 'please recycle your dog bags' here.
“Dog bins should be provided by local council,” she says.
Troy Churton from Ōrākei Local Board says the council are “looking to optimise resources and unfortunately one of those cuts were the bins in Ōrākei.”
He was not in favour of the bin removal .
“My overall view any reduction in a resource that provides hygiene and cleanliness, and security will lead to a worse outcome,” he says.
Auckland Council's website states there is a $300 fine for those not picking up after their dog.
But, says O'Donaghue, “there should be more enforcement around this”.
“Dog poo bag rubbish are dumped Orakei Basin on a daily basis.”
The council says the "bin optimisation project" resulting in 30 per cent fewer bins across the region will result in savings for ratepayers around $1.4 million per year.
“People out on their daily walk might notice a rubbish bin along their usual route has been removed and some parks have no bins at all,” it says.
LISTEN: Board member Troy Churton on the bin removal.
Dog waste in box meant for dog bags. Photo: Chantelle De Penning
