Dog fight over poo pick up and bin use at Mount Gambier baseball facility

A Mount Gambier baseball club says it is sick and tired of entitled dog owners as it is left to pick up poo and deal with rancid bins.

Blue Lake Sports Park, Mount Gambier. Picture: Jessica Ball

A Mount Gambier baseball club is kicking up a stink over a long-running dog poo problem.

South Indians Baseball Club president Bruce Morale said enough was enough after spending another weekend cleaning up after dog owners at the league’s Blue Lake Sports Park facilities.

“There was dog s*** on the diamond as per usual and then I lifted up one of the bins and the stench was just, I nearly vomited and I have a fair gut but it was rancid,” Mr Morale said.

“People seem to think that they’ve got open slathering in running their dogs around on our diamonds and using them as personal dog runs.

A sign at Blue Lake Sports Park baseball facilities in Mount Gambier. Picture: Jessica Ball

“We shouldn’t have to come out there and pick it up out of our infield and put it in the bin because someone’s run the dog around there and too lazy to pick up the dog’s crap.”

Blue Lake Sports Park is one of five a designated off-leash areas including a purpose built dog park in the city.

Mr Morale had no problem with dog owners using the Mount Gambier Council-owned land outside of the baseball diamonds but said he believed they felt “entitled” to use infrastructure leased by or paid for by the league.

He asked dog owners to respect the area, pick up after their pets and not use their bins to dispose of waste.

Mr Morale wants council to intervene and suggested any extra cost could be incorporated into registration fees.

“I’d like to see that the baseball diamonds themselves off limits,” he said.

Baseball facilities at Blue Lake Sports Park in Mount Gambier. Picture: Jessica Ball

“I want some responsibility put back on council, you’ve allowed it as a dog run well have dedicated bins just for dog waste and council workers can empty it.”

Mount Gambier Council city infrastructure general manager Nick Serle said the public should adhere to any “no dog signs” installed by tenants of the Blue Lake Sports Park and there had been recent improvements by users.

“Council has received a complaint recently, but has since arranged for general inspectors and staff to monitor the area more often and encourage dog owners to be responsible for disposing of their rubbish and use of the area,” Mr Serle said.

“Additional signage will be placed in the general area to remind dog owners to dispose of waste appropriately.”

Mr Serle said there were no plans for a second enclosed dog park but community requests would be considered as part of the normal budget process.