Overflowing dog bins spark anger - pizza boxes and coffee cup jam receptacle with dog foul bags strewn around base

One dog walker said they were disgusted to find a bin on the Foyle Road that was overflowing with all kinds of waste including pizza boxes and coffee cups when they went to use it.

The irate local resident, who preferred not to be named, was walking in the popular green area along the riverside when they stopped to dispose of their dogs’ waste.

“I was taking my dogs for a walk on the Foyle Embankment on Monday and when I went to get rid of their waste in one of the large dog waste bins along the riverfront, it was overflowing with ordinary rubbish.”

The dog owner said that those responsible had made a complete mess of the pathway.

People with bags of dog waste had nowhere to put them because the bin was full of rubbish it was not designed for.

This had created both an eyesore and a health hazard, the resident said.

“It was evident that people who had gone to dispose of their pets’ waste had nowhere to go.

“So they had to leave the bags at the base of the bin on the grass.

“It just looked an unsightly mess. It is also a health risk and it is the last thing we want to see happening during this pandemic.”

Sinn Féin Councillor for the Moor District Electoral Area(DEA) Patricia Logue urged people not to use dog waste bins in the city as rubbish bins.

She said she was contacted by several pet owners who are concerned about overflowing bins.

“I know that the vast majority of dog owners in our city are very responsible and ensure that their dogs’ waste is removed.

“I would appeal to people to only use these bins for the purpose they were designed for.”