80 dog waste stations and 500,000 bags used across Surrey Heath
The stations have slowly been introduced since 2016
Dog waste is continuing to be tackled in Surrey Heath with 500,000 bags being used from stations across the borough.
The 80 stations across the Borough dispense free biodegradable dog waste bags to help local dog walkers pick up after their pet.
And soon each station will also include a QR code which users can scan with their smartphone to quickly and easily let the Council know when the bags on a particular station need refilling.
SHBC teamed up with Eco Green Communities (formerly TiksPac) in 2016 and trialled six stations, with the aim of reducing the impact of dog fouling in the parks and open spaces of Surrey Heath.
Due to their impact, the following year forty stations were placed at various popular dog walking locations, and where fouling had been a problem. Sponsored by local businesses, the stations meant that having no bag was no longer an excuse for people to not pick up after their pet.
Supported by SHBC’s canine campaigner Keith the black labrador, locals are encouraged to #BagItAndBinIt, to help keep Surrey Heath clean, green and safe.
Promoting the use of fully compostable bags at the stations also encourages residents to reduce the usage of single use plastics, empowering everyone to do the right thing, therefore benefitting the whole community.
The network was doubled to 80 stations in 2019, and more than 500,000 bags have been dispensed through the stations in the Borough since they were introduced.
That equals less single use plastic in the environment, and potentially more than half a million dog poos picked up which otherwise may have been left spoiling the surroundings for others.