Feedback results

CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

Results from our dog poop, dog leash and dog waste recycling containers surveys

Thank you for contributing to our surveys. We are thankful to all those who provided feedback. The information below is a brief summary of what we heard from the survey respondents. We have posted detailed feedback in the document library.

Dog poop survey – 839 responses

Survey idea	# of respondents who said it could work	# of respondents who said it was a terrible idea	# of respondents who said they loved the idea
Dog poop pick-up days	426	299	60
QR code/photo contest	427	187	186
Poop-free contest – fewest complaints	332	287	130

Dog leash survey – 678 responses

Survey idea	# of respondents who said it could work	# of respondents who said it was a terrible idea	# of respondents who said they loved the idea
Dog leash days	326	186	71
Dogs on leash photo contest	264	182	159
Leash contest – fewest complaints	272	236	80

Suggested locations for additional dog waste recycling containers

There were 422 pins marked on the map, and 74 entries posted on our ideas tool, all representing suggestions for additional dog poop recycling containers. This map provides an overview of where the community would like us to install additional dog waste recycling containers.

Survey themes

The following themes were prevalent in the dog leash survey:

Let them know people are afraid of dogs
Steeper fines, more enforcement
More leash-free dog parks
Partner with local dog organizations on a campaign
Create more off-leash areas, create timelines for off-leash use in parks etc.

The following themes were prevalent in the dog poop survey:

Social media awareness
More signage, more enforcement
More trash bins and more dog waste recycling containers
Steep fines and a set of effective channels of reporting misbehaviour from dog owners
Partner with dog organizations for a campaign

Next steps

Based on feedback received, city staff are now exploring several options to support the goal of keeping dogs on-leash and proper dog poop disposal. Please note: we cannot guarantee that we’ll implement all of these ideas; budget, council approval and other factors may impact our approach.

Option	Details	Timeline
Install one dog waste recycling container at each of these locations	Bechtel Park Waterloo Park West Larch Street New Hampshire Park Beechdrops Park	Fall 2021
Install five additional dog waste recycling containers based on community feedback	Locations still to be determined – based on locations marked on map	Fall 2021
Full-scale communications plan to increase awareness	May include social media, radio and newspaper ads, improved signage, etc.	Fall 2021
Brochures handed out at time of dog-tag registration	Remind dog owners of the bylaws associated with dog waste and dog leashes	Fall 2021
Launch dog leash and dog poop contests	Tweak ideas suggested in the dog poop and dog leash surveys to engage as many dog owners as possible	Spring 2022
Directional signage in parks	Show dog owners the location of nearest trash bin/recycling container	TBD
Increase frequency of trash bin collection	In areas where a recycling container does not exist	TBD
Enforcement	Fewer warnings, more fines and increased fine amounts	TBD
More leash-free dog parks	Confirm timeline for the new leash-free dog park on the west side of Waterloo, and explore the option of designating certain parks leash-free during certain times of the day	TBD

We will post updates as we make progress on the options listed above. Please be sure to follow this project to receive updates as we move forward.

This consultation has concluded.