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No mucking around with on
the spot fines for dog fouling
WIRRAL Council has warned irresponsible
dog owners that it isn't 'mucking around' when it comes to enforcing
legislation around dog fouling.
In an extension to the contract the Council has with Kingdom to enforce the laws
around littering, Officers are now taking a 0 tolerance approach to the issue
of dog fouling. Anyone caught will receive an immediate £50 fixed penalty
notice.
Cllr Bernie Mooney, Wirral Council Cabinet member for Environment, said:-
"As the recent public survey conducted on our behalf by IPSO Mori confirmed,
environmental issues such as dog fouling remain the number one priority that
residents want us to tackle. Our approach to littering has proved extremely
successful as a deterrent and many streets in our busiest areas are noticeably
cleaner as a result. Many people have urged us to adopt the same policy towards
tacking dog fouling and we are delighted that we now have the framework in place
with Kingdom which allows its enforcement officers to do just that on our
behalf."
Since 9 May 2016, Kingdom's enforcement officers have been able to issue the £50
fixed penalty notices to owners who fail to pick up their dog's mess. To date,
10 fixed penalty notices have already been issued for dog fouling in the 1st 2 weeks of this new approach. If the FPN isn't paid in time, then the offender
will be taken to Court.
Cllr Mooney added:- "There is no excuse. We know the vast majority of dog
owners do the right thing when they are out for a walk; they take bags, they
clean up and they put the bagged mess in the nearest bin.
We're talking about an irresponsible minority and it is only right that we use
the full weight of the powers we have as a local authority to try to change
their behaviour and make our public spaces cleaner and more attractive."
Dog fouling enforcement will be intelligence led, which means that Officers will
spend much of their time in areas where particular problems with dog fouling are
reported. To this end, people can continue to let the Council know about dog
fouling problems by reporting
online.
The 0 tolerance approach to dog fouling will be backed by an
awareness raising campaign focusing on many of the groups of people who face
particular problems because of dog dirt; people in wheelchairs, parents pushing
prams and buggies, people playing in parks and open spaces.
Dog owners will also be reminded that their bagged dog dirt can be deposited in
any of the 4,000 public litter bins across the borough; or it can be taken home
and put in your green, non-recyclable waste bin.
If anyone is caught disposing of bagged dog dirt in an inappropriate way, they
will be fined under the litter legislation, which at the moment carries a bigger
fixed penalty; £80.
Cllr Mooney adds:- "It is a simple message and 1 which every dog owner
really should be aware of by now; bag it and bin it. It might not be the most
pleasant thing to have to do, but it's the right and responsible thing to do." |
