main content Don’t give a dog a bad name

In a bid to keep the environment clean, safe and pleasant, dog owners are being urged to clean up after their dogs. Dog fouling hot spots are being targeted with graphically illustrated posters reminding dog walkers to “bag it, tie it, take it”. Dog fouling should be deposited in a dog waste bin in parks or taken home for disposal with normal household waste.

“Anyone who owns or walks a dog should take responsibility for it and that means not leaving its mess on the street for someone else to deal with. Apart from the unpleasantness, there is a potential health risk which can be eliminated if it’s cleaned up straight away. Our street cleaning contractor will remove any dog mess found during their normal cleaning routines, but leaving it for them to clean up it is not the long term solution” said Peter McCready, Head of Area Management.

Streets en route to parks and open spaces are most affected by dog fouling. Hard-hitting posters displayed at selected locations will remind dog walkers to pick up their mess and dispose of it at home or in one of the many dog waste bins located in the borough’s parks. On-street litter bins should not be used for disposing of dog waste.

“No one wants to abruptly end a pleasant walk or picnic as a result of dog fouling. Children at play are not necessarily aware of the potential risks and are therefore most vulnerable. We are working alongside our friends groups to promote responsible dog hygiene to park users and hope these striking posters will encourage them to think twice.” said Pherenice Worsey-Buck, Parks Partnership Officer.

Dog fouling is unpleasant, spoils the environment and carries a risk of Toxocariasis, an infectious disease caused by roundworms. Any person in charge of a dog is required to remove its mess. Failure to do so could potentially result in a fixed penalty notice of £80 or a fine on conviction in a Magistrates Court of up to £1,000. Blind or physically disabled people with assistance dogs are exempt.

To prevent problems with dog fouling, the advice is to always:

• take bags or a poop scoop when walking your dog
• worm your dog regularly, as directed by your vet
• wash hands after walking or touching your dog.

Currently, over 3,000 dedicated volunteers belong to the borough’s ‘friends’ groups, taking positive action to enhance their local park or open space. If you are interested in becoming a ‘friend’ or would like further information on the borough’s green spaces, please call 020 8313 4471 or E-mail landscape.helpdesk@bromley.gov.uk.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

• Toxocariasis: an infection caught from Toxocara worm eggs found in dog and cat faeces causing stomach upsets, fever, headaches, asthma and in severe cases, blindness.
• In 2003 to 2004 the in the UK dog population was reported as between 6.5 and 7.4 million. This amounts to 1,000 tonnes of faeces being produced every day. A single dog mess can contain approximately 1 million microscopic Toxocara eggs (source: ‘Dog fouling and the Law – a guide for the public’, leaflet from www.encams.org).
• Further information on Fixed Penalty Notices for envirocrimes.
• ‘Every dog owner’s duty’ fact sheet is available from the Dogs Trust (www.dogstrust.org.uk) 

For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Advisor on 020 8461 7670 or email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk