Douglas Borough Council is strengthening its commitment to creating a cleaner environment with the installation of dog waste bag dispenser stations at strategic points around the town.

Left to right: Technical assistant (waste services) Nick Barnes with Councillor Betty Quirk and 'Harry', Councillor Janet Thommeny and 'Annie' and His Worship the Mayor with 'Barkley'

Following reports from the Council’s Borough Warden team and alerts from members of the public, the stations have been placed in 12 locations identified as dog-fouling hot spots.

The stations are located at:

•             The Strathallan Crescent end of Queens Promenade;

•             Noble’s Park. Two locations: one in the dog walking area, the other by the old tennis courts;

•             North Quay. Two locations: one near the British public house, the other at Quine’s Corner;

•             The beginning of the grassed section on Douglas Head;

•             Close to a lighting column by the Douglas Lifeboat house;

•             Hope Street: at the beginning of the one-way street;

•             The intersection of Mona Drive and Empress Drive;

•             The Bottleneck car park;

•             Harris Promenade: by Central Apartments at the bottom of Broadway;

•             Meadow Crescent: down from the primary school.

Funding for the stations comes at no cost to the Council. The units have been funded through local sponsorship arranged by the supplier, TiksPac, which also provides the dog waste bags free of charge. Founded in Sweden TiksPac works across five countries, serves around 300 municipalities and is partnering with some 4000 corporate sponsors.

Sponsors of the Douglas dispensing stations are:

•             Acorn Stairlifts;

•             Castletown Golf Links;

•             Hounds Hydro;

•             Luminaires;

•             Milan Veterinary Practice.

Environmental Services Committee Chair Councillor Ritchie McNicholl said: ‘The Council is pleased to be partnering with a company that shares our vision to create a cleaner environment.

‘Clean public spaces are critical to creating a positive first impression. The dispenser stations serve as a powerful reminder to dog owners to pick up after their dogs and, with the bags provided for free, there should be no reason for people to fall foul of the law. Owners who are found to be flouting the byelaws and polluting our town will, however, be subject to a fixed penalty and possibly prosecution.

‘With the installation of these dispenser stations the Council is reinforcing its message to dog owners: “bag it and bin it”.’