Worksop: New campaign to clear streets of dog mess

Coun Julie Leigh, cabinet member for neighbourhoods, said: “Dog mess affects everyone. Not only is it unpleasant to see it lying around on pavements and in our parks, it’s also unhygienic.

“It also unfortunately gives dog owners who do clean up after their dogs a bad name.”

The UK’s nine million dogs produce over 1,000 tonnes of waste each day—equivalent in weight to 200 elephants or 100 double decker buses.

The campaign from Dogs Trust and Keep Britain Tidy aims to ensure that most of this mess ends up safely in the bin.

As part of the campaign, council staff have been visiting schools to spread the message, urging young dog owners to be a ‘Scooperhero’ and throw on a Dogs Trust cape.

Officers are engaging with residents on the street too, by having a presence on the markets in Worksop and Retford, increasing random patrols of dog waste hot spots and providing materials to promote the messages behind The Big Scoop.

Coun Leigh added: “It is the law to clean up after your dog and the council has been proactive in issuing Fixed Penalty Notices to owners who refuse to pick up after their dog.”

“It’s very easy to keep our parks and streets clean: Just bag it and drop it in any public bin. If you do not follow these simple rules, and if you are caught, you could face a Fixed Penalty Notice of £50 or a fine of up to £1,000 if prosecuted through the courts.”

For more details visit www.thebigscoop.org.uk or follow on Twitter #thebigscoop.