BRITAIN’S 6.2 million dogs produce 900 tons of waste each day.

According to law, it is an offence for owners not to clean up after their pet.

The law applies to any area of open land that has public access, regardless of whether warning signs are displayed.

Offenders risk being fined a maximum of £1,000. Owners may be given the option of paying a £50 fixed penalty notice within a fortnight if found guilty.

But that doesn’t mean it’s not a problem.

Campaign organisation the Tidy Britain Group says across the country more than 5,000 calls concerning dog fouling are made each week.

In Worcester responsibility for catching the culprits lies with Worcester City Council.

The council’s senior civil enforcement officer Dave Harrison said his team recently received complaints about dog mess in Perdiswell Park.

He asked two Civil Enforcement Officers to patrol the park and they witnessed two women, a child and a dog getting out of a vehicle and walking onto the playing field.

“After sniffing around and urinating several times the dog was then seen to foul approximately ten metres away from the owner who then walked approximately 20 metres in the opposite direction before being challenged by a CEO,” said Mr Harrison.

He said the woman confirmed she was the dog’s owner but hadn’t seen the animal foul. Details of the owner were taken and she was issued with a Notice of Environmental Crime.

“After assessing the evidence I was satisfied that the offence had taken place and as a result I issued a fixed penalty notice,” said Mr Harrison. In the two-and-a-half hours spent patrolling Perdiswell Park, approximately 35 dog owners were seen by CEOs; only one dog owner was observed not picking up after their dog.”

l To report dog fouling in the county call 01905 722233 or e-mail communication@ worcester.gov.uk

 

THE COST

Tackling dog mess costs Worcester City Council about £30,000 a year.

This figure includes the cost to employ staff to clean it up and empty bins.
 

Last year the authority also spent an additional £15,000 installing and servicing new dog bins in the city following complaints there were not enough.

This is, however, minimal compared with the council’s overall costs to tackle litter, street cleaning and graffiti removal.

 

Dog show is a big hit

HUNDREDS of animal lovers flocked to a Worcester park to support a fun day celebrating man’s best friend.


Bark in the Park saw around 300 people descend on Gheluvelt Park for Saturday’s family-friendly event which carried a serious message.
 

Wardens and volunteers patrolled the park looking for ‘discarded’ dog mess, and highlighted each offending item by placing a red flag in it.


“The event went brilliantly. We were really pleased,” said park warden Michelle Newell.


“We were helped massively by the weather.”


She said about 40 incidents of dog mess were found – fewer than expected.
“It was interesting,” she added. “The feedback we were getting was that it’s bad on pavements.


“We handed out a lot of leaflets which covers the issue of dog mess.”
Attractions at Bark in the Park included a dog show, dog photo booth and a musical sit.