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Environment / More dog waste bins for the south mainland

A COMMUNITY council in Shetland’s South Mainland has secured funding to install dog waste bins to encourage more people to dispose their pet’s poo when out for a walk.

The issue of dog waste being left in Shetland’s outdoors either bagged or unbagged has been a regular bugbear for communities across the isles.

But pavements and roadsides in the Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh community council area could be set to become a little bit cleaner.

The community council has secured funding from the Shetland Community Benefit Fund – which is distributing money from the Viking Energy wind farm – for four new bins for dog walkers.

The location of a bin in Gulberwick has already been chosen, but the organisation is looking for suggestions for ones which could go in Fladdabister, Quarff and Cunningsburgh.

They should be along the route of the essy kert and be situated in a visible location.

Shetland Islands Council’s environmental health team leader David Robertson previously said that dog fouling is “unpleasant and is a public health hazard, with a risk of worms and infections being passed on to people and other animals”.

“It is an offence to not clean up after your dog and owners can be fined up to £80,” he said, advising folk to dispose of dog poo in any suitable waste bin or bury it in the garden at home.

In November the environmental health team encouraged people to “ensure you leave only pawprints on your walks”.

In recent years ‘clean it up’ reminders have been painted onto some pavements, including in Gulberwick.

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