Dog walkers are frustrated as the removal of bins leads to mess and irresponsibility in a once-beautiful area
Stockton: It’s a bit of a mess down by the River Tees lately. A charity took away the dog poo bins almost two years ago because they couldn’t keep up with the costs. Now, dog owners are leaving their pets’ mess everywhere, and it’s really spoiling the area.
Some folks just leave the poop right there, while others bag it up and toss it in the bushes or even on top of a defibrillator. Can you believe that? It’s like they think there’s a magic fairy that will clean it up for them!
One dog walker with a German Shepherd said she’s happy to carry the bags around, but it’s frustrating to see others just leaving them on the path. A retired firefighter, Mike, was shocked by how much dog mess was around. He picked up a ton of bags himself and had to take them home to throw away.
He suggested putting bins near the bridges so people wouldn’t have to walk far to find one. It’s such a lovely area, and it’s a shame to see it go downhill like this.
Another walker, Joanne, mentioned that carrying a bag of poop around isn’t fun, so some people just dump it. And Charlotte, a nurse, said she’s been lugging her dog’s mess all the way from the car park because there are no bins nearby.
Benita, who was out with her dog, said people are just tossing the bags into the river or over fences. She thinks it would be better if they just left the poop on the ground instead of making a mess everywhere else.
One regular walker said it’s awful and that it’s making people avoid the area. They’re more focused on where to step than enjoying the view. It’s really unfair to the responsible dog owners.
A council member mentioned that the decision to remove the bins was out of their hands since the land isn’t theirs. The Canal and River Trust explained that they had to cut costs and focus on maintaining the waterways instead of providing bins.
They’re asking people to take their litter home and recycle it when they can. It’s all about keeping the area nice for everyone while helping the charity save some money.
