There is no dog poo fairy
At Yarra we love to see you walking your furry family member on our footpaths and in our parks, but no one likes stepping on dog poo!
While stepping in dog poo can ruin your day (and your shoes!), it has more serious impacts in our public spaces. It can spread diseases to other dogs, especially puppies, and damage our waterways. When it rains, dog poo can make its way from stormwater drains to popular swimming areas, which poses a risk to humans.
Picking up dog poo is never the highlight of your daily dog walk, but it is the right thing to do for your community.
Most Yarra residents do the right thing, so if you leave the dog poo behind, people will notice. Unfortunately, there is no Dog Poo Fairy to come and pick it up!
Bring your dog poo bags or use some of the Council supplied bags in parks and pick up after your dog. Your community will thank you for it and we can all continue to enjoy Yarra’s beautiful — poo-free — streets, parks and playgrounds.
Frequently asked questions
You can make a report through our online form. Please provide as much information as possible to help us investigate. This may include:
- The time, date, and location of the incident.
- A description of the dog (breed, colour, size).
- A description of the person in charge of the dog.
- Any other relevant details you can provide.
The penalty for not picking up after your dog can be up to $500.
You can make a complaint at any time. Once we receive the report, we will investigate the area. If we can identify the responsible party, we will take action.
Our cleansing teams will also attend to clean public footpaths, streets, and parks.
As a responsible pet owner, it is your responsibility to pick up after your dog. This is a requirement under the General Local Law. Dog waste is not only unsightly but also a potential health hazard, as it can contain harmful bacteria and parasites, particularly harmful to puppies.
By picking up after your dog, you are helping to keep our shared public spaces clean and safe for everyone.
If there are no public bins available, please take the bagged waste home with you and dispose of it in your household rubbish bin. All public bins can be used for dog waste.
The law requires all dog owners/carers to pick up after their dogs.
We provide FREE dog waste bags available at parks across Yarra. They are also available at supermarkets, pet stores and online. You can also use any small plastic bag.
We investigate complaints and patrol public areas. We can fine anyone caught not cleaning up after their dog. Your reports also help us to identify hotspots and focus our patrols in the right areas.