BC Nature is currently exploring the issue of dog waste and dog waste bags being left along trails, parks, and natural areas. While many dog owners bag their pet’s waste, it is increasingly reported that bagged waste is being left along trails rather than placed in garbage bins, creating both visual litter and plastic pollution in natural spaces.

Research suggests that littered dog waste bags can contribute to plastic and microplastic pollution and may also pose ecological and health risks due to the fecal matter they contain.

To better understand the scope of the issue in British Columbia, BC Nature is seeking observations and information from member clubs and community naturalists.

Please fill in our survey – Due Date April 8, 2026:

Have you observed dog waste or bagged dog waste being left on trails or in nature areas in your community? If so, we would appreciate hearing about:

Survey – Dog Waste in Parks

Call for Information: Dog Waste Bags in Nature Areas

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
Member Name(Required)
Which Club do you belong to
For example: a few bags per week, (Occasional) dozens (Frequent), or hundreds observed over time would be Widespread
OccasionalFrequentWidespread
Unbagged dog waste, bagged dog waste left on the trail, or bags hung on trees/placed beside trails.
Signage and infrastructure:
Describe what your club, municipality, or park authority have done: Any monitoring, surveys, or cleanup work related to dog waste on trails?
Do you know of any studies, reports, or local data that quantify the issue?
If you have photos, counts, observations, or local reports, please feel free to share them. This information will help BC Nature better understand whether dog waste bags represent a significant plastic pollution issue in natural areas across the province. (acceptable formats:
Drop files here or
Accepted file types: jpg, gif, png, pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 512 MB, Max. files: 5.