Councils step up measures to tackle dog fouling
Councils in England and Wales have vowed to crack down on dog fouling this winter, after an apparent increase in incidents coinciding with darker and rainier conditions.
North Devon Council is expected to increase patrols throughout the district, following an uplift in dog fouling incidents, which has led to cleanliness difficulties for the council’s park maintenance team.
The council has now been forced to fence off flower beds to deter dogs from these areas, among other measures.
It previously also said it was planning to impose temporary restrictions banning dogs or keeping them on leads for two months in areas with a high incidence of dog-related anti-social behaviour or fouling.
Councillor Ian Roome, leader of the council, said: “This legal mandate encompasses a broad range of public spaces, such as car parks, grass verges, recreation and sports grounds, parks, river walks, pavements, footpaths, gutters, carriageways, and beaches and failure to adhere to the regulation may lead to serious consequences, including a fixed penalty of £100 or a maximum fine of up to £1,000.”
In addition, Dudley Council is carry out surveillance in dog fouling hot spot areas across the borough in a bid to catch and prosecute irresponsible dog walkers who don’t clean up after their animals.
As part of the crackdown, officers are also handing out dog mess bags to dog walkers to remind them they need to clean up after their animals.
Meanwhile, Cyngor Gwynedd Council in North Wales recently handed out several financial penalties to members of the public who failed to pick up after their dogs, according to Cambrian News.
Councillor Berwyn Parry Jones, Cyngor Gwynedd’s Cabinet Member with responsibility for the Council’s Street Services, said: “I hear from parents who have accidentally got dog poo into the tread of their baby buggy or wheels of children’s scooters. Unfortunately, we tend to see the problem get worse at the beginning of winter.
“My message is clear to dog owners is – just because it’s dark or rainy it’s no excuse for not stopping for a moment to pick your dog’s mess up while you’re out on a walk.”
