Plea to Dog Owners

Dog owners in Bournemouth are being urged to clean up after their pets after a large rise in nuisance dog fouling.

In the three months to the end of January 2010 the Council received 74 complaints about dog mess across the Borough compared to 63 in the same period the year before.

Stuart Best, Street Services, said: “Dog owners are just not cleaning up after their pets and the rate of complaints has significantly increased this winter. We are appealing to pet owners to be responsible as it is not fair or right that other people have to put up with unhygienic mess soiling their local area. In turn, street cleansing teams should not be tasked with cleaning it up either. Please do the right thing – you know who you are.”

Dog owners are advised to go armed with bags whenever they take their pet out. Bagged or wrapped mess can be deposited in any litter bin – it doesn’t have to be a specific dog fouling bin – or even better, taken home for disposal.

Advice about dog fouling can be found on the Animal Welfare pages of the Council’s website.

If you have a problem with excessive fouling in your area, then telephone 451199. The dog wardens will be asked to carry out monitoring of the area and put up warning stickers.

If a dog warden witnesses a dog being allowed to foul and the mess is not immediately removed by the person responsible for the dog, the dog warden may issue a fixed penalty notice of £50. If the fixed penalty notice is not paid the matter will be referred to the Magistrates Court where the maximum fine is up to £1000.

Source of this Article:

Bournemouth Borough Council (opens a new window)

By Isabella Rees (Bournemouth 2026 Partnership)

Posted: Thursday 4 February 2010

Permalink: http://www.bournemouth2026.org.uk/pleatodogowners

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