'YOU GRUB': Sydney resident called out for $275 dog poo deed
This neighbour is the latest resident to take matters into their own hands by hitting out at a dog poo bandit who appears to have dumped a bag of excrement in a Sydney street.
In photos shared with Yahoo News Australia, the frustrated southwest resident took it upon themselves to highlight the dog poo discarded on a residential street — a fineable offence — by hanging the offending bag from a tree with a note.
Written on a piece of cardboard in bold, black letters, the handwritten sign took aim at the anonymous culprit.
"Take your dog poo with you — you grub," the note read which was screwed into the tree trunk.
It's not known if the pet owner left the bag behind, or if the note-writer was the one who bagged it up, but it's not the first time a frustrated neighbour has taken it upon themselves to call out dog poo dumpers.
Last month, an inner-city resident left a note for dog walkers who continued dumping bags of faeces in residents' empty bins.
They said it was "inconsiderate" as it leaves the wheelie bin stinking.
Another Sydney woman took her gripe to Facebook last month about having to hose out her bin regularly for the exact same reason.
"Whilst I appreciate people cleaning up after their dog when they do their business, I don't appreciate it being placed in my bin right on collection day when it's empty so I can have the bin sitting in my driveway smelling like sh*t all week," she wrote.
Hefty $275 fine for not removing dog poo
While some take it upon themselves to put a stop to dumping, residents are encouraged to report dog poo bandits to their local council.
Under the NSW Companion Animals Act (1998) the owner or person in charge of a dog that defecates in a public place must remove the faeces and properly dispose of it.
This means bagging it up and putting it in a waste bin immediately.
According to the Canterbury-Bankstown Council, the area of this latest offence, failure to remove your animal's faeces incurs an on-the-spot fine of $275.
"We give enforcement powers to Rangers or Animal Control Officers," it says on their website.
"They have power to issue on-the-spot penalties for some offences, such as failure to dispose of dog droppings."
Similar laws apply across other Sydney councils, although the fine amount might vary.
In Sydney's inner-west, for example, this offence carries a maximum fine of $880.
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