Mayor Louise Crawford was the sole vote against a $50K trial of dog waste bag dispensers at popular locations. She was not alone in her concerns. Council officers also recommended against the trial, and members of the public raised issues about plastic pollution from the bags, especially in a bayside municipality.
The debate over council-supplied versus bring-your-own bags has raged across the municipality for years and was a notable issue in the council elections last year. A group of dog-loving residents argued that they pay rates and pet registration, so having bags available in dog parks would be fair.
With 8,000 registered dogs in the municipality, that amounts to a significant amount of daily waste during walks. Reports to Council about dog waste are higher in Port Phillip than in neighboring councils with dog bag dispensers, suggesting that the initiative may be worthwhile.
However, council officers expressed concerns that more free bags could become waste, posing a threat to wildlife after they end up in the bay. Even biodegradable bags are now recognised to degrade into microplastic pollution that can harm wildlife. Additionally, the costs of installing and refilling dispensers needed to be taken into account, with early estimates reaching staggering amounts.
Dog owners assert that they are responsible individuals who pick up their pets’ droppings and dispose of them in the nearest bin—and they vote.
Thus, eight out of nine Councillors voted to support the trial, although some were unsure how its success would be measured. They may have been influenced by paw pressure.
Mayor Crawford, however, suggested an alternative approach to supporting responsible dog ownership. She argued that while dog owners can provide their own bags, the council should focus on initiatives that individuals cannot do alone, such as improving fencing in dog parks, enhancing signage, and offering more free dog obedience education.
Nonetheless, there is one thing on which everyone can agree: pick up after your pet and dispose of it in a bin – not in the bushes, on the beach, or up the creek.
Or watch your step!
