‘All lawns are messed’: Kazan residents discontented with the lack of containers for dog excrement in city center
As residents say, dog waste has to be thrown into ordinary bins next to benches
Residents of Kazan expressed their dissatisfaction with the fact that there are no specialised containers for collecting dog waste in the city center. First of all, they complain that there are no urns in the area of the National Library and in the area of the Fuchs Garden, which is going to be landscaped. What dog owners face, how they react to problems, and whether there will be specialized urns in Fuchs Garden — in the material of Realnoe Vremya.
“We throw out waste right in front of the eyes of people”
Tatiana Antonova, the owner of a dog and a resident of Kazan, contacted the editorial office of Realnoe Vremya. She complained that in the city center, and especially in the area of the National Library and the Fuchs Garden, there are no equipped bins for collecting dog excrement. The woman noted that they have to be thrown into ordinary trash cans, which stand next to benches.
“I have a small dog. And there are owners who have dogs of 30-40 kilogrammes each. And they have more problems. Look, all the lawns in the center are messed. The situation is such that you have to throw out the waste right in front of people. I was criticised a couple of times that I was throwing a smelly package into an urn near a bench," Antonova said.
The local resident added that it is not difficult for dog owners to throw waste into specialised bins, especially if there are a lot of them. According to her assurances, there is now only one such urn in her area, and therefore, it is necessary to use ordinary ones.
“It is no problem throwing waste into specialised bins, but it should not be one container for the entire area. They must stand at a certain distance. I understand that there is a problem with packages when, for example, they are stolen, but dog owners have their own packages. There are containers for guests in the center, but they are not intended for dog excrement," Tatiana said.
Kazan has developed a plan for the improvement of the Fuchs Garden, but the concept does not mention waste containers
In early April of this year, it became known that the Institute of Urban Development had completed the development of a concept for the improvement of the historical Fuchs Garden. The square, named in honour of the former rector and Honored Professor of the Kazan University, a physician, botanist, historian, ethnographer and philanthropist, is planned to be renovated by mid-summer. The concept involves additional landscaping, restoration of lost historical elements of the garden based on archival materials and a story about a remarkable scientist who devoted a significant part of his life to Kazan and the citizens.
The Fuchs Garden is bounded along the perimeter by the streets: Malaya Krasnaya, Adamyuk, Zhukovskogo, Podluzhnaya and is located in close proximity to the National Library of the Republic of Tatarstan and the memorial museum-apartment of composer Nazib Zhiganov.
It is noted that all existing green spaces, among which there are many large-sized trees with spreading crowns, will be preserved.
Besides, the entrance areas will be restored in the garden. The stairs on the slope of the garden will be replaced with a wider one and supplemented with a ramp. The configuration of the lighting elements will be revised. It is planned to recreate the lighting supports, which are highly artistic cast iron, and romantically illuminate the gazebo and the entrance group with the name of the garden. Cast-iron benches and other garden furniture will also appear in the garden — a table, chairs, flowerpots, cabinets for an outdoor library — in the style of the first half of the 19th century.
Thus, it can be noted that the concept does not say anything about working with containers for dog waste.
Where in Kazan did they take care of the dog-friendly environment?
In 2022, it was reported that a playground for playing and walking dogs is to appear in the landscaped park in salavat Kupere residential complex. Canopies, benches, special equipment for training with pets, 700 square meters of territory for running and free walking without a leash will be provided on the territory. The peculiarity of the space will be that the equipment is not intended for classical training, but for playing and spending time together between the owner and the pet.
Last year, the curator of the Dog-friendly Tatarstan project, Daria Raek, said in an interview that there were special bins for dog waste in the Gorkinsko-Ometyevsky forest, in the park named after Tinchurin, on the Black Lake.
According to her, a small number of urns for excrement is not a problem in itself. Today, there is no need for a large number of dog boxes, because, unfortunately, there is no separate plant for processing such waste.
“It is important to teach people to separate garbage collection, therefore, bins are installed separately for excrement and separately for household garbage at dog walking sites. Within the framework of the residential complex, it would also be good to do this, because it will be more convenient to take care of the territory. In general, I am in favour of fostering self-awareness and responsibility in people. If I go for a walk with a child, I take with me a bottle of water, diapers, a bag, wet wipes. And then the same thing happens: before walking with the dog, I put bags of excrement, napkins, and sweets in my pocket. Although, of course, the placement of dog boxes helps to pay attention to what needs to be cleaned for your dog, it is a kind of marker for those owners who are not yet immersed in culture," Raek said in an interview with Urban-media.