The City of St. John’s is urging residents to refrain from using outdoor recreation facilities as a place for their pets to roam.

Councillor Jamie Korab says there has been an increase in reports of residents allowing their dogs to run off-leash in areas such as ball fields.

He says pet owners are not cleaning up after their pets, increasing the risk of a number of health hazards.

Dogs excrete a number of harmful bacteria such as Ecoli and Salmonella, as well as a number of parasites that can cause kidney problems and intestinal illnesses. Korab says pet waste often contains larvae that can cause damage to the lungs, heart and brain. He says even after the feces disappears, the parasites can remain there for years which also harms the environment as it will burn through grass.

He’s asking residents to use one of nine dog parks located throughout the city and to clean up after their pets.