Dubai: With developer Emaar refusing to overturn the pet ban in the Dubai Marina promenade, dog owners have come up with an interim solution: They have started carrying water and detergents to clean up after their pooches.
Dubai Marina resident Eli Abu Merhi, who spearheaded a petition to reverse the ban, said the decision to rinse the promenade off dog poop was taken following a meeting with pet owners.
“We are urging pet owners to carry water and detergents so that they can clean up after their dogs. There are no rains here to wash the streets clean. Any solid or liquid waste left could attract flies and raise hygiene concerns at the many food outlets here,” said Merhi.
A flier distributed among pet owners even tells them how to go about the poop cleanup task. “Fill a bottle with water mixed with soap/detergent/disinfectant/white vinegar to rinse/spray on your dog pees. This will avoid both odour and stains on the pavement,” reads a ‘best practise suggestion’ in the flier.
Emaar banned dogs from the area in July this year citing hygienic reasons. The move sparked a social media campaign, including an online petition, with nearly 2,000 residents asking the developer to reconsider the ban.
As the dispute raged on, some pet owners sent a new proposal to Emaar, which among other things recommends fines up to Dh1,500 for not cleaning solid waste and Dh750 for not rinsing liquid waste or letting dogs off leashes.
