I am lucky enough to call Brunswick Heads beach our ‘local’. Like you, I think it’s one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia, if not the world. Yesterday morning, however, the number of pooch poo bags left by dog-owners within the delegated dog-beach stretch left this slice of paradise looking more like a waste outlet which would directly contribute to damaging the environment and precious sea creatures.
On the return walk, my partner and I collected 11 bags of dog-crap ready to be carried out by the king tide. I had to borrow someone’s camera to snap this photo before binning the evidence as proof that this is what had been left behind. It unfortunately reveals how much disrespect there is for this beach (and likely many more beaches).
On one hand I’m astounded that dog-owners blatantly abuse the privilege of walking their hounds on this stunning beach. I’m a dog-lover from way back and personally prefer the company of four-legged creatures to humans most days, so please don’t think this is a ‘dog-downer’ letter.
Wake up dog owners! It’s an absolute privilege to have a dedicated strip of beach for dogs on this beautiful beach (and any beach that allows dog-access). Sure, bag your dog’s crap once it’s done it’s business, but also just as importantly, bin-it. Otherwise, those remains and plastics ends up inside and suffocating our precious marine life and further polluting our waterways. I can imagine in defence some dog owners might say something like ‘I bag my dog’s crap and leave it there to collect on my return walk’. Forget this concept please as it’s clearly not working. Come prepared to the beach. Bring an old shopping bag or an old backpack or whatever and carry the bagged poo-bag in that. It’s not rocket science – it’s prioritising the environment. Simple.
Surely this kind of environmental crime is a worthy offence of a $500 fine instead, perhaps, of the $500 fine for swimming naked (as has been recently happening at the same beach). I was truly offended by the blatant environmental hazards waiting to be swept out to sea as a result of human laziness and disrespect.
For four decades The Echo has printed the stories some people loved, some people hated, and some pretended not to read. If you want us to keep telling the truth, the real truth, not the sugar-coated version. We’ll need your support to keep the presses rolling. 
