Pavement messages for dog owners
A DISTRICT-WIDE crackdown on dog fouling is offering fair warning to dog owners by writing messages on local pavements.
Teignbridge Council is using chalk-based temporary paint to stencil messages in areas where dog mess in causing problems, warning dog walkers that wardens are watching.
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SIGN OF TIMES: Teignbridge Cllr Kevin Lake in Chudleigh with one of Teignbridge District Council's community environment wardens
The clean-it-up tool has been used in Chudleigh, Moretonhampstead and Teignmouth with results already showing that it works.
Dog fouling is a criminal offence and recent reports have highlighted areas where it is becoming more prevalent.
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Teignbridge is responding with higher-profile action and is reminding owners that cases which go to court can leave them up to £1,000 out of pocket.
Where dog fouling has become an issue, the stencil, which washes off easily, has been used by Teignbridge's community environment wardens to highlight the problem.
Incidents have decreased, making the streets cleaner and reducing health risks.
The move is being supported by targeted local patrols, with £50 on-the-spot fines given to those who flout dog fouling rules.
Cllr Kevin Lake, Teignbridge executive spokesman for environmental services, said: "Teignbridge, like anywhere in the country, has its fair share of irresponsible dog owners who don't clear up after their pet.
"It is only a minority of owners but, unfortunately, they're giving others a bad name with their actions. Our cleaners are out come rain or shine tidying Teignbridge's streets but it's a big area and we don't see why taxpayers should be footing the bill for a few dog owners' lack of care."
Comments
by abcxyz
Friday, November 09 2012, 4:42PM
“How to solve the problem: First offence for not picking up - a fine. Second offence for not picking up - dog taken away from owner aand placed in kennels for, say 3 months, at the dog owners expense of course. That would be the end of the problem.”
by Squirreleater
Friday, November 09 2012, 1:54PM
“EDIT: Friday 9th Nov. Sharkham 7:30 - 8:35am. 7 dog walkers 9 dogs. 2 people picked up the mess left by 6 of the dogs. That to me suggests a majority don't pick it up! and the person that left the black poo bag by the gate less than TEN yards from the dog mess bin you are just downright lazy. These people know who they are. I am not generally an obsessive person but this myth of "a minority of dog owners" needs exploding. Anyway as I say enjoy your walk but look down as well as up.”
by tomstuckers
Friday, November 09 2012, 12:17PM
“They should stencil messages on the beaches too as the dog owners don't pick up the poop.
Aint Torbay grand.”
by hughanchor
Friday, November 09 2012, 10:53AM
“I have a suggestion for the pavement message:
"Dog owners leaving dog poo on the pavement will be forced to eat it"”
by LBG11
Friday, November 09 2012, 12:29AM
“There are too many irresponsible dog owners these days. Not just the ones that don't pick up the poo, but the people who can't control their dogs, which aside from being a nuisance, can end up attacking infants/children in extreme cases. I think new dog owners should have to attend a mandatory course that teaches them how to be a responsible dog owner before they can get a dog. It may sound a bit unnecessary, but I think something like that would be beneficial to the public as well as dogs themselves.”
by Treleaven1
Thursday, November 08 2012, 10:12PM
“This is serious! We need to have a referedum RIGHT NOW to find out once and for all which area is most covered in dog excrement! I KNOW it is Southern Quay in Brixham!”
by Vincula
Thursday, November 08 2012, 10:01PM
“Parkhill Road in Torquay must list high up for places with constant dog fouling”
by grumpy02
Thursday, November 08 2012, 7:25PM
“Treleaven1 OK I cannot say about Southern Quay in Brixham , but Goodrington, the beach ,prom and cliff walk are certainly contenders!”
by Treleaven1
Thursday, November 08 2012, 5:03PM
“Ok Squirreleater I challenge you! Show me that there's an area that has more dog excrement in it than Southern Quay in Brixham. It is disgusting. Just the other day I was looking down on it from King Street and a dog unloaded a big pile of steaming hot dog s..t right at the bottom of the steps where someone is bound to step in it. The owner who was carrying a dog s..t bag in his hand stopped, made out he was going to pick it up, then took a quick look over his shoulder, saw nobody about and skidaddled leaving his dog's **** where it was - just like EVERY dog in the country does when nobody is looking. OH YES THEY DO! Thankfully I had my camera in my hand as I was out taking pictures of the harbour so I got a good photo of him which I e-mailed to the dog fouling dept. at Torbay Council. I would advise everybody to do that, even if they can't trace the person straight away the photos will be kept and eventually they will trace them down. Car registrations numbers are good as well and even better an address of course but i wouldn't advise approaching them. Dog owners are some of the most aggressive people there are.
Torbay Council, take a lead from Teignbridge Cuoncil and do the same.”
by Bleach
Thursday, November 08 2012, 4:49PM
“Popular walking spot, what, 40-50 dogs a day. It hangs around for a good while but let's say a **** lasts a week, for the sake of argument. 50*7=350. Bagged dog waste lasts forever, you'd have thousands of bags in the trees. If it were the majority you'd have around 300 ****s, certainly more when the weather's dry. You'd be climbing over it.
It's disgusting, it's ant-social and if I caught somebody not cleaning up after their dog I'd make them eat it but it's not the majority, it's a very small minority.”