Sorry, there is no poo fairy!

I have recently acquired a dawg. I now find myself being one of those people that can be seen wondering around in our green and remote areas, particularly around the river banks and country park area.

Oddly, I have noticed firmly tied plastic bags of the “stinky stuff” neatly placed by the side of paths, hanging from trees or a well-placed nail, like trophies. I can only presume these are offerings to the “Poo Fairy”. As a public servant, I reckon it is my duty, but with sad and heavy heart, feel I have to be the one to dispel the myth; there is no such thing as the “Poo Fairy”!

Dog bins are provided by the City of Ely Council at a cost of about £300 each, installed courtesy of ECDC, and emptied in a spirit of co-operation by Veolia. Clearly, there is a limit to the amount of bins that can be provided without recourse to the taxpayer.

Veolia needs to be able to get quite close to the bins for emptying which is why dog bins are not placed in remote areas, but are usually at the ends of walks near to roadways. The Veolia “Poo Fairies” are not able to wander around pathways looking for the donations, so can dog walkers please go the whole way, swing their bags with pride, and take their offerings all the way to the next bin.?

It is in order for appropriately wrapped “warm stuff” to be placed in normal litter bins, although this is probably not desirable when next to play areas, benches, homes or heavily populated places.

Responsible disposal of this waste would be much nicer for us all and my dawg would be less embarrassed!

CLLR ELAINE GRIFFIN-SINGH (AND RUDY)

City of Ely Council

& East Cambridgeshire District Council