SINGAPORE: Residents of Block 1 Marsiling Drive have been left exasperated as they were allegedly forced to navigate a bureaucratic maze created by Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council and the National Environment Agency (NEA) in their efforts to address an ongoing dog waste problem that has been plaguing the void deck area in their block for quite some time.
For several months, residents have been forced to take alternate routes due to the unbearable stench caused by daily sightings of dog poop and urine. The urine patches have also posed a slip hazard to elderly residents.
The source of the problem appears to be a particular family residing in the same block, whose members have been observed committing selfish and irresponsible acts by allowing their dogs to defecate and urinate in public areas.
While the diligent town council cleaners have been doing their part in promptly clearing the mess left behind by the same dog daily, residents believe it is unfair to burden them with such tasks. The hardworking cleaners deserve respect and appreciation for their efforts.
Ms Shaz Bte Halim, a concerned resident, expressed her disappointment in a post on the Complaint Singapore Facebook page. She noted that educational posters on responsible pet ownership had been placed near the lift lobby, but the offending family had chosen to ignore them.
She called upon the family to be considerate in the future and stop tarnishing the reputation of responsible dog keepers. Ms Shaz also emphasized that pets are innocent and dog keepers are responsible for ensuring the proper training and behaviour of the dogs.
Ms Shaz said that a neighbour had reported the matter to their town council but the town council allegedly replied that they do not handle enforcement matters related to animal waste, directing the issue to the NEA instead. The Town Council only placed educational posters and increased cleaning efforts.
The NEA, in turn, responded that they do not regulate animal urine issues, but they did instruct the Town Council to follow up on the educational posters and intensify cleaning efforts.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, Ms Shaz’ neighbour submitted a close-up photo of the dog waste through the oneservice app, hoping for a more serious response. As of now, the complaint remains pending, awaiting a reply from the NEA.
While some residents have taken videos of the offending family and their dog in the act, Ms Shaz felt it is inappropriate to publicly shame them online and declined to share the footage on social media.
The issue has also drawn attention to responsible pet keepers who feel unfairly stigmatized by the actions of a few individuals. Nicole, a commenter on Ms Shaz’ post, rightly pointed out that the problem lies with irresponsible dog keepers, not the pets themselves. All pets are innocent and rely on their keeper for proper care and training.
Other commenters have called on the Town Council and NEA to streamline their efforts and take swift action to resolve this issue, pointing out that residents should not have to endure the consequences of a few individuals’ disregard for community cleanliness and hygiene.
The Independent Singapore has approached Marsiling-Yew Tee Town Council and NEA for comment.
Family allows their dog to pee & poo daily on HDB void deck at Marsiling Drive