Bag it - bin it – in any public litter bin!

Bag it. Bin it – in any public litter bin!

Here’s a fact that may come as news to many dog owners – dog mess can go in any public litter bin!

Feedback from residents during Rochdale Borough Council’s ‘Foul Play’ campaign showed many people don’t know bagged dog mess can be placed in any public litter bin. And if there’s no litter bin around it can be placed in your municipal refuse bin at home.

The council regularly empties the public litter bins around popular dog walking spots and a ‘bag it, bin it’ sticker has been placed on these bins to remind dog walkers how to dispose of the mess responsibly.

Councillor David Clayton, Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Lots of dog owners look for special poop scoop bins to put dog mess in. At worst some people bag it up only to let it swing from trees and fences.

“We’ve made lots of dog owners aware through our engagement activity that dog mess can actually go in any public litter bin. After all, it’s better in a bin than on the ground creating serious public health hazards.”

The majority of dog owners and handlers are responsible and pick up their dog’s mess, but it’s the mindless few who are endangering public health and costing the council thousands of pounds each year cleaning it up – so report them in confidence and let the council help you get the problem sorted!

If you’ve had enough of dog poo blighting your area and want the culprits dealing with report it call 0845 226 1800. Or speak to an advisor at your nearest council customer service centre.

The council hopes that as more people come forward to report the offenders who fail to ‘bag and bin’ their dog’s mess, the more likely they are to start being responsible.

As part of the Foul Play campaign the council wants to know what local people think, so whether you're a dog owner, a local resident, in work or at school, the council wants to know the real, honest reasons how dog fouling affects you and your community so it can help drive down the problem in the future.

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