We are so lucky to have access to many beautiful forests and footpaths in our region, but a local dog-walker enjoying an early spring afternoon stroll with her dog at Mabie Forest this afternoon (Tuesday, March 26th, 2019) told DGWGO of her concern regarding the increasing amounts of filled dog pooh bags being disgarded on the side of the forest trails.
SP told DGWGO “ I have been walking in the local forests surrounding Dumfries for several years and today I noticed a massive increase in the amount of used dog pooh bags left at the bottom of trees and at the side of the trail paths, some were even on picnic benches.
I realise that there are no bins supplied by the Forestry Commission, but surely as most forest users arrive by car the responsible action would to take their dog waste and any other litter home for disposal. The bags are unsightly, dangerous to forest wildlife
and take years to decompose. It is important for the region to build our tourism industry and this action gives a very poor impression”
The Forestry Commission displays guidelines on their information boards and leaflets; DGWGO contacted Forest Enterprise for their perspective on this increasing problem and we got this response.
Forest Enterprise Scotland spokesperson said:
“Unfortunately, dog waste and irresponsible dog owners who do not clear up is a recurring issue for us. We do our best to tackle the problem with the resources we have available to us”
“In heavily used areas we do try to provide bins where we can, and staff to empty them, but we are only able to do so in a limited capacity. Many of our forest and woodland sites cover very large areas, and often our staff will have to cover multiple sites as part of their jobs”
“Added to this, we sometimes face commercial dog walking businesses and unfortunately not all of them are fully responsible and clear up after they have walked many dogs at once”
“While the above is not ideal, we do ask dog owners to take responsibility for their own pets, and to ensure that they leave no trace”
“The Scottish Outdoor Access Code states that owners should clear up all their dog’s waste and take it home where bins are not provided.”
