- A sign in Stonefield Park
Stafford Borough Council has started night-time patrols in Stone to help stamp out dog fouling and has appealed to people in the town to report offenders and hotspot areas.
The council launched a campaign last year, which was backed by the mother of a little girl left partially blind after falling in dog mess.
But an increase in reports of dog fouling over the last few weeks has led to the council starting evening and early-morning patrols in the borough to try and catch irresponsible pet owners. And the borough council says it is mostly responsible dog owners who are shopping the selfish ones, who face a £75 fine if caught.
Recent information from concerned members of the public have identified times and dates when dog walkers have not been cleaning up after their animals. Sites in Stone include Tilling Drive, Station Road, the Common Plot, Westbridge Park and the Brassworks farm and canal area.
You can report dog fouling by emailing info@staffordbc.gov.uk or calling 01785 619000.
Frank Finlay, Cabinet member for environment and health, criticised irresponsible dog owners who leave the mess: “I cannot believe people can see the damage caused to this little girl and still refuse to clean up after their dogs.
“But it is great to see most people responding brilliantly – especially the responsible dog owners – in helping us try and stamp out this disgusting environmental crime.”
Little Amiee Langdon was only two when she lost 75% of the sight in one eye after an infection caused by the mess left in a playground in Manchester. She had wiped her eye with her hand which was covered with dog’s muck after falling over.
Amiee was diagnosed with toxocariasis, a disease passed on to humans by dog or cat poo infected with roundworm, after the incident in a playground in her home town of Manchester last year.
4 comments
Jan
As responsible dog-walkers ourselves,we cannot understand people who do not clean up their dog mess.Apart from the obvious dangers to health,who wants to be treading excrement into their homes? The pavements surrounding Stonefield Park are a disgrace,
and almost every day there are fresh piles appearing.We organised our own poster campaign,encouraging people to scoop poop,and to report suspected abusers.Whilst the posters were quite successful for a while, complacency rears it’s ugly head,and we are back to square one again.Patrolling the streets is an excellent idea.Good luck!
Julie
There are a lot of selfish dog owners on Aston Lodge who don’t clear up after their dogs, especially on the path following the farmers fields along the back of the estate.
Jon
I’m having real trouble with dogs fouling on my garden on Aston Lodge. Because we are next ot a footpath it appears that people are walking their dogs along the path and then letting them foul the pavement and on my garden….grrrrr.
What does reporting the incident achieve? I don’t know who is doing it only that my garden would be a mess if I didn’t continually pick up other dogs poo!