Gwynedd Council is teaming up with the Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, in support of National Poop Scoop Week.
This is the latest event in Gwynedd’s Council’s long-running campaign to educate dog owners about the importance of clearing up after their pet. Gwynedd is already working with Keep Wales Tidy and the Police to highlight the problem and has held several environmental action days to tackle the issue.
Poop Scoop Week runs from 26 July to 1 August and the message to dog owners this year is to bag it and bin it:
BAG IT – Once your dog’s poop has been scooped, carefully turn the plastic bag inside out and your dogs mess will then be ‘bagged’.
BIN IT – Dispose of your bag in a proper dog waste bin, or if there are none available, double wrap it, tie it and use a regular litter bin. Do not leave used bags lying around.
Councillor Gareth Roberts, Gwynedd Council’s Environment portfolio leader, said:
“We are all looking forward to the summer holiday when we can be out and about, enjoying Gwynedd’s wonderful countryside and beaches. I would urge all pet owners to be responsible and considerate and not to spoil this experience for the rest of us by making sure they clear up after their dog.
“Dog faeces left on the pavement, footpath or on the beach is ugly and can pose a serious health risk. The toxocara germ found in dog faeces can lead to serious diseases, and even blindness, especially in children.
“There is no excuse for not picking it up, and the vast majority of dog-owners do this every time. Gwynedd Council’s Tidy Towns Team has been handing out free poop-scoop packs to dog owners and the message has been taken out to the local community during several environmental action days.”
Clarissa Baldwin, Dogs Trust Chief Executive, said:
“We want Poop Scoop Week to be about saying thank you and well done to the millions of well-behaved dog owners, but also to remind the irresponsible minority that their dog can’t pick up after itself.
“If every dog owner fulfils their duty we can all look forward to summer strolls and
picnics in parks free from the worry of dog poop. Let’s make Poop Scoop Week the week everybody takes responsibility – we will be amazed at the difference we can make.”
Wynne Williams of Keep Wales Tidy said: “Recent surveys undertaken by Keep Wales Tidy found that many streets, parks and open spaces in Wales were blighted by dog poo and we applaud the actions being taken by Gwynedd County Council to tackle the problem.
“We all know that a dog has to poo somewhere but the dog owner is responsible for cleaning it up. Dog mess can easily be cleaned up using a plastic bag and taken home or put in a bin.
“Local authorities do have powers to prosecute owners that allow their dogs to foul but it is dog owners’ responsibility to eradicate this very anti social problem by clearing up after their pet. We hope that during the National Poop Scoop Week irresponsible dog owners will become aware of the consequences of their actions.”
