A campaign to tackle the problem of dog mess in Barmouth has been a sweeping success by reminding pet owners to clear up after their dogs.
A special day to raise awareness was held at Barmouth on Friday with officers from several agencies taking part, including Gwynedd Council’s Street Wardens and Maritime Officers; Keep Wales Tidy officer; Police Community Support Officers and Community Beat Managers from North Wales Police.
The aim of the day was to raise awareness among dog owners to clear up after their pets. Working in partnership, the agencies handed out 50 free poop-scoop bag dispensers and eight warning signs were put in place. Also, one person was given a fixed penalty notice on the day.
The majority of dog owners are responsible and clear up after their animal but a small number continue to break the law by allowing their dogs to use streets and public places as an open toilet. One of the main messages of the day was that this is an environmental crime and such behaviour is not acceptable.
Iona Thomas, Gwynedd Council’s Tidy Towns officer, said:
“Dog muck is a serious issue of public hygiene. Failing to pick it up after your dog can pose a serious health risk to other people – the toxocara germ which is to be found in dog faeces can lead to serious illness, especially in children, which can lead to blindness.
“We would therefore urge dog owners to be responsible – by picking up your dog’s mess we can all keep our local environment clean and tidy and ensure public safety and wellbeing.
“We should all be able to walk the street without worrying where we put our feet.”
PC Gareth Jones, an area officer for North Wales Police, said:
“This is a very beautiful area and it is completely unacceptable that people do not clear up after their dogs. If we ignore this sort of behaviour local residents as well as visitors may think that no-one cares, this isn’t the message we want to send out.
“Any person found to be allowing their dog to make a mess could receive a £75 fixed penalty fine or even have to appear in court.
“It only takes two seconds to pick up your dog’s muck and put it in the bin, I would urge all dog owners to be responsible and keep their community clean.”
Gwynedd Council’s Street Wardens will be monitoring the county’s towns and villages to ensure that people do not commit environmental crime such as leaving dog mess, dropping litter and fly tipping.
It is illegal to allow a dog in your care to toilet in a public place without cleaning up afterwards. Those found breaking the law could be given an on-the-spot fine of £75 by Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement Wardens, the Council’s maritime or country parks staff or PCSOs. If an individual refuses to pay the fine they could face a court summons and a fine of up to £1,000.
This event was organised and paid by the Assembly Government’s Tidy Towns scheme. For more information about the scheme contact Gwynedd Council’s Tidy Towns officer on 01766 771000, e-mail [email protected] or visit the website www.gwynedd.gov.uk/tidytowns
