WATCH: The District of Saanich will no longer provide dog waste bags to park visitors in the hopes of saving taxpayers thousands of dollars. Ceilidh Millar reports.
The District of Saanich is reminding dog owners to B.Y.O.B.P. (bring your own poop bag) the next time you visit a Saanich park.
As of this month, the district will no longer provide dog waste bags to park visitors.
Eva Riccuis, the District of Saanich’s Senior Parks Manager, says the move will pile on the savings.
“The hard costs for just the bags themselves was about $10,000 a year in addition to labour costs” Riccuis said.
Saanich maintains 171 parks but only 10 parks were supplied with the bag dispensers.
“It has become a social norm for folks to look after the waste of their dogs” said Riccuis.
Jerry Donaldson, a dog owner we spoke to, says he supports the decision.
“It’s an expense Saanich doesn’t need to be bearing,” Donaldson said.
“It doesn’t seem to have any effect on people who don’t pick up after their dogs anyways.”
But others are concerned it could increase the number of negligent owners who fail to pick up after their pets.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea but I do believe people should be responsible for their own bags,” Georgina Schonert said.
“It has to be addressed on the beach because a lot of people just don’t pick up.”
Park visitors will still have access Saanich’s take-a-bag, leave-a-bag system for dog owners who may be unprepared for a pooping pooch.
“I have two big dogs so I have a handful of bags everywhere I go” Schonert said.
Failure to pick up after your dog in Saanich could result in a $150.00 fine.
Ceilidh Millar
