Dog poop creates massive mess across Mississauga: city officials

Despite repeated pleas to dog owners to pick up after their pets and properly dispose of the waste, city officials say unsightly messes are still being left behind in parks and other places across Mississauga.

“Plastic bags filled with dog waste continue to be left in all kinds of places such as recycling containers, on the ground on trails, sidewalks, streets, forests and bushes at local parks,” City of Mississauga officials said in a post to social media on Friday. “Pick up after your pets.”

In April, city officials noted that with dog ownership on the rise in Canada’s seventh-largest city, the four-legged companions are producing an estimated 23.6 million pounds (10,705 tonnes) of waste each year in Mississauga.

Of that, they said at the time, about 16.2 million pounds are disposed of properly by dog owners and walkers. That leaves 7.4 million pounds of excrement left somewhere outdoors where it doesn’t belong — and where, over time, it can pose a public health risk to both people and animals, city officials said.

In early July, the city again pleaded with offenders to change their behaviour and begin properly disposing of their pets’ poop.

Dog messes left everywhere

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With its April message to the dog owner community seemingly having no impact — in fact, officials noted, the problem only worsened — the city issued a news release the first week of July stating that dog messes were “being left everywhere.”

The release continued: “It might seem like a small thing, but when dog owners don’t pick up after their pets, it can become a cause for concern.”

Officials also noted at the time that complaints to the city’s 311 call centre increased.

“As the weather gets warmer and more people are outdoors, 311 tends to get increased complaints from residents about people leaving dog excrement in public areas like parks, sidewalks, playgrounds, and sports fields,” said Nakia Phillips, a 311 representative. “Many of the calls from residents about dog waste highlight the ongoing challenge we face in ensuring our neighbourhoods remain clean and safe for everyone.”

In Mississauga, those caught leaving dog waste behind and/or not properly disposing of it could face a $115 fine. That applies to offences on both public and private property.

In the wake of their latest reminder to dog owners on Friday, city officials haven’t yet said if they plan to complement that public education message with more active and aggressive enforcement of the appropriate bylaw.

Dog waste stations like the ones shown are set up at 18 parks across the city. (Photo: City of Mississauga)

Mississauga officials said earlier that overflowing public waste bins are no excuse for those who drop bags of dog waste on the ground next to the filled trash cans. Pet owners in such cases should properly dispose of the bag elsewhere and call the city’s information line at 311 to report the filled bin.

“Dog waste may seem small, but it has a big impact on our environment, contributing to methane gas — a greenhouse gas,” Mississauga officials said. “Dog waste left on the ground can also contaminate our water sources, requiring costly treatment. When it rains, dog waste on the ground soaks into groundwater or flows with rain and meltwater into the city’s stormwater system. This flows to nearby streams, creeks, rivers and, ultimately, Lake Ontario.

“If you’re a dog owner, you’re responsible for picking up after your dog outdoors in public spaces. This helps keep our spaces clean, protects our environment and prevents the spread of possible diseases and bacteria,” officials continued, adding dog waste dropped as litter can also attract coyotes and rats.

Dog waste stations at 18 parks in Mississauga

City officials have also said that in order to help with the amount of dog waste going to landfill and to keep recycling bins free of contamination, they’ve installed dog waste stations at 18 parks across Mississauga.“Through these stations, dog waste is stored below ground in a concrete container where it’s cooler and out of direct sunlight, which helps reduce odour. Waste from these stations is collected when the container is full,” the city said, adding a contractor then empties the containers and transports the contents to a waste-to-energy facility where the dog waste is transformed into energy and diverted from landfill.

Parks where dog waste stations are available include:

• Dellwood Park
• Jack Darling Park
• Lakeside Park
• Birchwood Park
• Thornlodge Park
• Garnetwood Park Leash Free
• Shavers Trail
• Community Commons
• Mississauga Valleys Park
• Zonta Meadows Linear
• River Grove Park Leash Free
• Linear Park (Burnhamthorpe Road)
• Trappers Green
• Lake Aquitaine
• Quenippenon Meadows
• Totoredaca Park
• Friendship Park
• Churchill Meadows Community Centre and Mattamy Park Leash Free

The careless, messy behaviour of many dog owners in Mississauga isn’t a new issue. Early last year, city officials also went public with a message urging pet owners and dog walkers to be more mindful and respectful.

And in September 2022, city officials pleaded with uncooperative dog owners to clean up their acts when they’re cleaning up after their four-legged friends.

Scenes such as this, where dog owners have irresponsibly disposed of their pets’ waste, are common across Mississauga. (Photo: City of Mississauga)