What a load…

By Colin Cosier

Redfern Mounted Police say it’s not their job to clear their horse poo from the street.

But the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority says otherwise.

“Horse manure should be removed and disposed of where possible… [by] the rider of the horse,” said a spokesperson.

Sergeant Kylie Riddell of the NSW Mounted Police said that wasn’t necessary.

“Some people think that we should clean up the manure because they have to pick up after their dogs, but there’s actually no legislation in regards to picking up horse manure on the road,” she said.

Charles Street resident Stephen Nicholls said it’s “pretty common” to find horse manure in his street.

“As dog owners we are very responsible and clean up… after our dogs and it’s probably not too much to expect of the police to go back afterwards and clean up,” he said.

The NSW Mounted Police use Boronia Lane and Charles Street to walk their horses from the Baptist Street stables to Centennial Park.

According to the NSW Companion Animals Act it is an offence for dog owners to not “immediately remove” and “properly dispose” of their pets’ faeces in a public place.

The City of Sydney Council can impose a fine of up to $275 for the failure to remove dog droppings in public.

The City of Sydney doesn’t have a specific policy on horse manure, said a Council spokesperson.

RSPCA NSW Chief Veterinarian Magdoline Awad says faecal contamination in dogs is more dangerous than that in horses.

But local Jessica Good, 23, is nonplussed.

“Poo is poo, you’ve got to clean it up,” she said.

Resident, Adrian Harrington, 32, said the horses “should have bags to catch the droppings.”

But Sgt. Riddell said bags for catching horse manure were “actually designed for cart horses, not horses ridden under saddle…. And I would consider those an operational occupational health and safety risk both to our horses and our riders.”

Mr Nicholls is not completely unhappy with the mounted police.

“It’s great to have the horses going up and down the street. It’s quite nice when you hear the clip clop of the horses coming along – It’s actually one of the attractions of living here,” he said.

The stables and joining offices facilitate 31 police horses and 36 police officers.

The Mounted Police have been located at the Baptist Street stables since 1907, where they perform high-visibility patrolling, public order management and ceremonial duties.