The Best Guide for the Neston Area

Council To Clamp Down on Thoughtless Dog Owners

Following an intensive awareness-raising programme promoting Good Dog Ownership, Cheshire West and Chester Council's campaign is now moving to its enforcement phase when on-the-spot fines will turn up the heat on thoughtless dog owners.

Officers from the Council's Regulatory Services Team will take action to warn offenders and issue fines to those caught not picking up after their dog.

Ready to take action against dog fouling - officers from the Council's Regulatory Services Team will begin a clamp down on dog fouling this week. (L to R): Enforcement Officers, Kaz Roberts, Paul Blackburn and James Morris.

Up to now the campaign has focused on education, awareness and community engagement, involving, Mabel, a Newfoundland, who has visited schools and events across the borough. The attention-grabbing canine mascot has helped spread the word about good dog ownership and picking up after your pet.

The Pink Poo initiative at key locations has also literally highlighted the problem to irresponsible dog owners - by spraying the dog mess bright pink with a chalk-based spray. This initiative has the added benefit of clearly pinpointing the unwanted ‘deposits' to passers-by, as well as letting offenders know they are being watched. The Council's Streetscene Team then clear up the problem. Volunteers have reported a reduction in dog fouling in their areas since they started their pink poo activity.

Councillor Mark Henesy, Cabinet Member for Community and Environment, said: "This campaign has been welcomed by Cheshire West residents who simply won't stand for the irresponsible behaviour of just a few people any more.

"The next phase of the campaign is a clamp down on enforcement and Council officers will be out and about in force issuing on the spot fines.

"However, our Council officers can't be everywhere and we really need help from residents to identify offenders. Please help your community and Council take a stand against dog fouling in your area; tell us, in confidence as much information as you can about any incidents."

Anyone who fails to pick up after their dog will have to pay an on the spot fine of £75 or a fine of up to £1,000 if taken to court.

If you want to report dog fouling please search ‘dog fouling' on the council website or telephone 0300 123 7026. The Council needs details like the name of the owner; a description of the dog; the location; the time(s); car registration number; or where the offender lives.

Bagging dog mess and leaving the bag behind is a littering offence and also carries a £75 on the spot fine or a fine of up to £2,500 in court.

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Comments

J

At 12:03 on 19th August 2015, J commented:

Why does no one voice a concern about the horse muck found all along the Wirral Way and connecting roads
There is very little dog fouling as the majority of owners clean up but horse owners will just openly let their animals foul in full public view

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J

At 12:16 on 19th August 2015, J commented:

The fact is that horse manure certainly can and does contain organisms that are harmful to humans, including bacteria like E. Coli, Listeria, Salmonella. Clostridium tetani, and protozoa like Giardia and Cryptosporidium
Just some info for those who think horse muck is health good stuff that they are happy to have around.

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CO Jones

At 12:45 on 19th August 2015, CO Jones commented:

Unfortunately J, a huge amount of dog owners do not clean up and I say that as a dog owner.

It is not a valid comparison either. Horse muck is grass and it causes the vast amount of people no hardship whatsoever if they walk in it and is a positive boon for growth / fertilisation of plants. It also breaks down within a couple of days.

Dog mess is absolutely horrendous to step in and traipse into the house. Horrible, stinking, foul and persistent.

I would also be intrigued to see the bags a horse rider would have to carry to bag it up.

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J

At 13:16 on 19th August 2015, J commented:

Next time I get horse muck on my shoes I'll come to your house and walk through your lounge :-)
Horse muck is just as bad as dog muck but in much larger amounts and is just as bad for you, don't get caught up in a romantic idea that it's good, nothing covered in disease carrying flies is good for you.
Most dog owners in this area clean up after there dogs, however I don't include those who hang plastic bags on trees.
Both horse and dog muck break down at the same pace so long as it's not on tarmac or concrete.
Try getting horse muck off a car tyre is something you should try.
What about cats, they come into my garden and foul, people are never asked to clean up after them.
Anyway back to horses, if it's so good then why don't the horse owners pick it up and take it home with them.
Look back at some historical reports on a time before we had cars and look at the disease and pollution around in towns at that time.

Sorry to labour the point but I think it is just one animal that is being singled out here.
All animal owners should clean up after their animals

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CO Jones

At 17:13 on 19th August 2015, CO Jones commented:

The dog owner is being singled out because a significant amount of them are selfish morons.

There is actually a chap whose house backs onto Stanney Fields who a couple of times a week carries carrier bags full of doggo to the bins that are in the park that are meant to be used when a dog fouls in the park. I know this because I challenged him a few months ago... me "that isn't really the intended use for those bins"....Him "what else am I meant to do with it?" me...."put it in your outside bin at home?".....Him "why on earth would i put any in my own bin...disgusting"

if horse muck is the same as dog muck, why don't i just pile dog muck on my veg plot in the spring? Would you like some potatoes?

One other thing, has does a horse rider know his / her horse has dropped one?

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J

At 20:57 on 19th August 2015, J commented:

Well CO Jones or should I call you angry of Neston !!!!
Seeing as you like the stuff so much why don't you clear it up and take it back to your house, it seem the the horse or rider has no use for it.
Your logic is also a bit off course
The horse is big so the bag would be to big for the rider, does that mean you would exclude a Great Dane's poo from being collected on account of it's size?
Every rider knows when a horse has dropped one, by that statement I know you don't ride.
Composted dog poo is used for fertiliser but not on edible products
Maybe the pink poo campaign should be extended to pink for dogs, green for horses, blue for cats, yellow for cows, purple for foxes and bright white for the human poo on the Wirral way.

Remember I am not defending dog poo, but it should not be singled out and all offenders should to brought to justice, tortured, hung, drawn and quartered in a civilised way

I would rather have the person who backs onto Stanney Fields put poo in any container than leave it for someone to step on; I find the best way is an outside loo and flush it, I don't think it something to get angry about at least he is clearing it up and it will be recycled as fertiliser for none edible products

To end with; life is just to funny to be taken seriously so don't get offended

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CO Jones

At 07:39 on 20th August 2015, CO Jones commented:

j, totally chilled over here. Pragmatic rather than angry. Offended from meaningless words on a screen ain't happening.

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