Date: 

Thursday, 24 September, 2020
Surrey Heath Borough Council teamed up with TiksPac in April 2016 as part of our campaign to reduce dog fouling.   
 
40 stations were located at various green spaces and trouble spots within the Borough, sponsored by local businesses, with fully compostable dog waste bags freely available to dog owners.   
 
This scheme was further extended in 2018 with PetPlan sponsoring a further 40 stations. 
 
The aim of the project was to ensure ‘no bag was not an excuse’ for dog owners not to pick up after their pet.  Using fully compostable, biodegradable bags also aimed to encourage behaviour change and reduce single use plastic. The project has proved a popular one with dog walkers and the general public alike. 
 
The results to date show an amazing 400,000 bags dispensed in Surrey Heath since the scheme launched. 
 
These 100% biodegradable and fully compostable bags are a significant offset against single use plastic in the environment, plus mean that dog waste which would otherwise be left in public areas is cleared away.  
Surrey Heath Portfolio Holder for Environment and Health Cllr David Mansfield said: “We are proud of our clean, green, safe surroundings in Surrey Heath, and the TiksPac scheme has been an excellent way of helping to make sure the Borough stays that way.  
 
“This initiative is designed to make it easier for more people to take responsibility for cleaning up after their pet. The scheme does not cost the Council anything, as the costs are covered by the national and local firms who sponsor the stations.”  
 
Julie Cook, Director of TiksPac, said: “By sponsoring these stations companies are helping to reduce dog fouling which is a perennial problem for many local authorities. Throughout the pandemic, people are still out walking their dogs, and dog fouling and littering is more prominent than ever. The environmental benefits of tidy and clean outdoor spaces are significant now that we are being encouraged to stay local and enjoy where we live. 
 
“Numerous studies show that people are more likely to drop litter in areas where there are already high volumes of rubbish, including dog waste. Where litter levels are low, people are more likely to dispose of all types of waste responsibly. 
 
“TiksPac and SHBC’s goal of educating and empowering the dog owning community to self-serve and to do the right thing, ultimately benefits the whole community. This is a win-win. 
 
“A survey of the councils we’re working with has shown that where TiksPac stations are installed there’s an average decrease in dog fouling complaints of 49.4% and a 56.8% decrease in overall littering in the same areas. That has to be a positive result. 
 
“The TiksPac approach is designed to save local authorities time and money as volumes of dog waste and litter decrease. But most importantly, we see this as the first step towards creating a safer, cleaner community.” 
 
This project is currently sponsored in Surrey Heath by PetPlan Limited, Blackwater Valley Veterinary Centres Ltd, Pets Abroad UK, and Dapper Dogs by Debbie.  
 
We are looking for new and additional sponsors for the Surrey Heath TiksPac scheme - if your company wants to support your local area and get involved please contact SHBC  or TiksPac.