DOGGIE AMBASSADOR Initiative

CITY OF RENO, GREAT BASIN INSTITUTE & WASHOE COUNTY

The Doggie Ambassador Initiative, now overseen by the Great Basin Institute (GBI), is a volunteer-led project dedicated to improving community cleanliness and responsible pet ownership through the installation and maintenance of dog waste stations. Volunteers serve alongside GBI to place strategically located waste stations in public spaces, educate dog owners about the importance of cleaning up after their pets, and promote environmental stewardship.

Volunteer With Us

The Doggie Ambassadors are a dedicated group of volunteers partnering with the Great Basin Institute (GBI) to combat dog waste in Truckee Meadows’ community parks. These volunteers monitor and maintain dog waste stations, by keeping waste bags stocked and accessible for the public. Their efforts play a key role in preserving the cleanliness and beauty of our city and county parks, trailheads, and green spaces.

Want to get involved? You can join the Doggie Ambassadors by filling out the interest form.

Alternatively, if you’d like to support their work, consider sponsoring a dog waste station to help keep bags stocked and available for pet owners.

For sponsorship inquiries, email media@gbinstitute.org.

Together, we can keep Truckee Meadows’ parks clean and enjoyable for everyone!

Meet Taylor James

Did you know that the simple act of picking up after your dog can have a huge impact on our environment and community? Taylor James and her doggie Benson certainly do. They’ve dedicated over hundreds of hours to the Doggie Ambassador Initiave since 2017, and their efforts have made a real difference.

As a Doggie Ambassador, Taylor has tirelessly filled up dog waste stations at over 29 parks, trails, and open spaces, ensuring that every dog owner has easy access to the supplies they need to clean up after their furry friends. In the process, she placed hundreds of thousands of bags within reach of dog walkers.

The impact of Taylor’s work goes beyond just making our parks cleaner. In the last year alone, her 58 volunteer hours have potentially prevented more than 100 trillion bacteria from polluting our watershed.

Key Responsibilitites

The volunteer’s roles and duties include:

Station Maintenance: Routinely visiting assigned parks to restock dispensers with dog waste bags.

Station Upkeep: Repairing broken dispensers and reporting damaged or empty units.

Public Education: Interacting with park visitors to educate them on responsible pet ownership and the importance of picking up waste to prevent local stormwater pollution.

Pick Up The Poo!

Dog feces is unsafe to humans and our surrounding environment. To learn more download our information guide on how you can help stop our parks from becoming biohazards.