A private contractor has been hired to maintain pet waste containers along the Railway Trail and in the island’s national parks.

According to the Ministry of the Environment, Professional Animal Waste Services has been awarded a three-month contract that recently started.

A spokeswoman said the Ministry will be reviewing the sites and seeking input from the public next month before possibly issuing an annual contract for managing the dog waste stations.

Ann Boykin-Smith, park planner, said: “We are aware of the situation and I am grateful for the public’s patience.

“Our interim solution is to hire Paws, which will be servicing the units as of today.”

Dog owners are asked to deposit bags with dog waste in the “dogipot” bins located in the parks and along the Railway Trail rather than trash bins or elsewhere.

The spokeswoman reminded the public that animal waste should not be placed in household trash, explaining: “It must be flushed down the toilet or dried and wrapped in paper, placed in plastic bags, then dropped in the specified bin at the Tynes Bay waste to energy facility.”