Caerphilly County Borough Council is determined to rid the county borough of a sticky situation. Dog fouling is a major issue throughout the whole country, the UK dog population is estimated at around 7 million, producing 1,000 tonnes of excrement a day.
Caerphilly County Borough Council will not tolerate the small minority of dog owners who allow their dogs to foul and have controls to try and tackle dog fouling in the region.
Cabinet member for Public Protection, Engineering and Transport, Cllr Rob Gough says, ‘We are well aware it is the minority of dog owners tarnishing the reputation of the many throughout the county borough, however this is a serious problem and we are determined to tackle it.
We take every case of reported dog fouling very seriously, and I hope that the prosecution measures we have in place show that small minority that failing to take their environmental responsibilities seriously could cost them dearly.”
The most recent prosecution for non-payment of the fixed penalty resulted in the defendant being fined £150, as well as £100 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
Dog fouling is not just unpleasant for people using pathways, parks and pavements but it can also spread disease, and in extreme cases can cause blindness.
The StreetPride initiative launched by Caerphilly county borough council in April has already performed above set targets and this latest push to ward off irresponsible dog owners aims to keep the good work up and make the county a cleaner, more attractive and even more pleasant place to live and work.
If you witness anyone allowing his or her dog to foul without ‘picking up’, please report the incident to the council. You will be asked a few questions about the incident/s but your details will remain confidential at all points of the process. Reporting the behaviour is the most effective course of action to improve the situation.
Similarly, if you discover a public area where dog owners have allowed their dogs to foul without witnessing the offence, please inform the council who can arrange for the area to be cleansed.
All recreational land – any land in the open air to which the public have access such as parks, most highways, footpaths, pavements, cemeteries etc. – has been designated under the Dogs (fouling of land) Act 1996, making it an offence for a person to fail to clean up after their dog on such land.
A person convicted of such an offence is liable to a fine of up to £1,000. Alternatively, the opportunity to pay a fixed penalty (currently £75) may be offered in place of prosecution.
To report instances of dog fouling or littering in the Caerphilly county borough or any of the other services mentioned above, please call Caerphilly StreetPride on: 01443 866 566 or report dog fouling using the online form.
