Disease warning as donkeys trash new wheelie bins

Livestock breaking into newly-introduced wheelie bins in the New Forest could help spread serious animal diseases, residents and animal owners have warned.

New Forest District Council recently began a roll-out of wheelie bins and food waste caddies as part of efforts to improve recycling but free-roaming ponies and donkeys have been seen breaking into them and scattering waste.

Andrew Parry-Norton, chairman of the Commoners Defence Association (CDA), said there was a "real risk" of diseases such as African swine fever and foot and mouth spreading from contaminated food waste.

The council said it was monitoring the situation and urged residents to report any incidents involving animals.

The donkeys left rubbish scattered on Fathersfield Road in Brockenhurst

Wheelie bins and caddies are replacing single-use black and clear plastic bags for New Forest residents' domestic and food waste, plus recyclables.

In June, the council said it was aware of cases of donkeys in the national park "interacting with waste containers".

Caroline Emery filmed a group of donkeys on Horlock Road in the village as well as waste scattered on Fathersfield Road on Friday.

"When is common sense going to prevail that those living on the side of the cattle grids where animals roam, should be able to keep their bins inside their gates, to prevent this happening and ultimately the death of livestock," she said.

Food caddies have been broken into and destroyed by the donkeys

Other images posted on social media, showed food recycling bags within donkey droppings, having apparently passed through an animal's digestive system.

The village's Green Party ward councillor, Adam Parker, said: "It's happening all over the village – donkeys are intelligent, opportunistic foragers.

"I'm really very concerns about health implications for New Forest wildlife."

Livestock owners have called for bins to be left in areas the animals cannot access

The national park's free-roaming ponies, pigs, donkeys and cattle are owned by commoners - people who own or occupy land with ancient rights attached.

Mr Parry-Norton said the issue "would only worsen" when pigs are turned out into the forest in autumn.

"It is illegal to feed food waste to pigs," he said. "Donkeys are bad but if pigs get into these bins, there is a high risk of diseases like African swine fever or foot and mouth could potentially cost millions."

The 2001 foot and mouth outbreak is thought to have originated from pigs being fed catering waste containing the virus.

Remains of food waste collection bags from the caddies have been found in animal droppings in Brockenhurst

The CDA chairman called for the roll-out of wheelie bins and caddies to be suspended.

"They need to acknowledge the problem and sort out the problems. The bins are extremely flimsy and not stock-proof," he added,

In a statement, the council said: "On a daily basis, we are monitoring the situation, particularly in key areas where we know there may be free-roaming livestock.

"We recognise that some areas face unique challenges.

"We remain committed to working with our community to ensure the service works well for everyone, and to deliver a more efficient and environmentally friendly way of managing waste and recycling for the long term."

It said bins should be kept on properties until due for collection and food waste caddies should be left out with the handle pushed forward and down to keep the lid tightly shut.

The move to wheelie bins was given the go-ahead in 2022, with the council insisting they were needed to increase recycling rates, while opponents argued they were unsightly and costly.