Recent southern visitor sampled a local, Council sponsored free camp on the banks of a river running through the local Rural Residential area.   Could not park within 30 metres of the river bank for the stink of dog pee.   Council mows up to the drop off into the river and that line seems to attract all the dog owners taking their dogs for a pee and poo.    Most of the poo gets picked up by the person walking the dog but the concentration of pee in such a small area is now a problem.   Standard smarts for people toileting in the great outdoors is not to do or leave any business anywhere where the deposit can drain into a watercourse.   So off to Council Health Department of more information.   Local laws demand a doggy septic, or treatment facility, for more than four dogs kept on a property.   Local councillor says too expensive to create an off leash area in the free camp to keep dogs away from the watercourse and the local opponents to the free camp are calling for total closure.

No dog haters involved in this situation, just people who don't understand not everyone likes the odour of dog pee and lots of dogs peeing in the same area quickly becomes a problem.   Once the problem is reported to council, health regulations may require a bit more attention to where your dog does his or her business.   Self containment rules are not far away from being applied to both canine and human travelers.

Iza