Flintshire County Council is reminding pet-owners of their responsibilities when it comes to clearing up after their dogs.
Operation Clean-Up will be continuing into 2014 with a zero tolerance approach being taken to dog fouling. Dog walkers are responsible for cleaning up after their pets and it is a punishable offence if they don’t. Enforcement patrols will continue throughout the county, anybody found not to be cleaning up after their dog will be issued with an on-the-spot Fixed Penalty Notice of £75, which if not paid will lead to prosecution. Flintshire has proactively issued FPNs over the last few months resulting in a successful prosecution.
During the last few months the Council has been working with Dogs Trust to promote the micro chipping of dogs and changes in the law will eventually make it compulsory for all dogs to be micro chipped. We are holding regular drop-in sessions when owners can get them micro chipped for free. For more information check the Dogs Trust Website at www.dogstrust.org.uk
At this time of year when there is often an increase in strays and dogs being taken to animal rescue centres, it’s important to be aware of the responsibilities that come with owning a dog.
Tips for clearing up after your dog:
- Dog mess can easily be cleaned up using a plastic bag and taken home or put in a bin. Ideally, dogs should be trained from an early age to ‘go at home’ in their garden before or after, rather than during a walk.
- Dog walkers should bag up their dog’s mess and not leave it on the path. If there isn’t a dog fouling bin nearby, they should take it home and put it in the bin. Fixed Penalty Notices can also be issued for dropping a plastic bag containing dog mess.
- The Doggy Do App is for smart phones allowing people to report anything to do with dog fouling to the Council.
- Freshly deposited faeces are not infectious. This is because toxocara eggs do not become infectious for at least 2 – 3 weeks after the faeces have been deposited. If you don’t want to come into contact with the dog faeces, you can buy inexpensive clearing up equipment from local pet shops.
