NEW DOG-WALKING FINE IN WESTERN PROVINCE

A penalty fee  for owners of dogs for leaving faeces of dogs, on the roads unattended to in the Western Province

In many areas in the Western Province it is a common scene where the owners are in the habit of taking their pet dogs for walks. During these walks invariably the dogs are used and made to discharge their faeces to the road side while the owners are watching. This causes health hazards as well as a threat to keeping the streets clean.
It has become a practice to those who goes for walks for their daily exercises take along with their pet dogs tied to a chian also to give them their needed exercises too. These are usually commonly seen in ‘posh’ Colombo areas where the affluent had got used to.
During these walks when the dog owners become aware that these dogs need to answer their call of nature they quietly drag the dog by the chain to a corner and get the wish of the dog fulfilled. They are not bothered about the dog’s ‘shit’ unlike what dog owners have been made to do in developed countries in such an instance. This matter is a health hazard as well it does harm to the environment which is made to be dirty when valiant efforts are made to beautify the city.
This has caused those cleaning people an additional burden as it becomes an extra duty and a dirty one as that. This had been a subject of discussion at a meeting at the Western Provincial council. It was decided to impose a fine against these offenders, as a result of causing oppression to the general public. In terms of act of oppression caused to the public the fine that is to be imposed ranges from Rs 500/- to Rs 5000/-in this regard they are going to implement this rule to the offenders almost with immediate effect.
As an alternative to this grave matter it has been decided to commence the practice of hanging a bag on to the body of the dog and the faeces thus collected have to be dropped into it as done in other developed countries.