Foul Play campaign sees rise in dog fouling warnings

Foul Play logo

Rochdale Borough Council’s Foul Play campaign to crack down on dog fouling has seen a 68% increase in the number of warning letters issued to suspected dog fouling perpetrators.

The past two months has seen council officers hit the streets to speak to local people and dog owners to get their views about how dog fouling can be tackled and how the offenders can be reported.

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

To report ‘Foul Play’ go to www.rochdale.gov.uk/foulplay or call 0845 226 1800. Or speak to an advisor at your nearest council customer service centre. All information given will be treated in strict confidence. The council’s environmental enforcement team will use any information provided to help curb dog fouling in your area.

Commenting on the rise in the number of warning letters issued to those reported failing to pick up their dog’s mess, Councillor David Clayton, Cabinet Member for Environment and Leisure at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “This is a really encouraging start because it shows not only are people reporting dog fouling, but they’re standing up for their communities and reporting the culprits too.

“Please keep coming forward to report the offenders because these people are endangering public health and costing the council thousands of pounds each year cleaning it up. We shouldn’t need to spend any money cleaning up dog mess left by the few dog owners who are ignorant to the dangers they’re causing.”

Feedback from residents during the campaign showed that many people didn’t know bagged dog mess can be placed in any public litter bin. As a result, public litter bins around the borough’s popular dog walking spots now display ‘bag it, bin it’ stickers to remind dog walkers how to dispose of the mess responsibly.

If you’re a dog owner or handler, always carry a plastic bag every time you walk your dog. Simply pick it up with any plastic bag, turn it inside out, tie it up, and place it in any public litter bin. Please don’t bag it up and leave it on the ground or hanging up. If there’s no bin around, place it in the nearest public litter bin you see or put it in your municipal refuse bin at home.

The majority of dog owners and handlers are responsible and pick up their dog’s business, but it’s the mindless few who are endangering public health and costing the council thousands of pounds each year cleaning it up. Offenders also risk a fixed penalty fine of £50 or a maximum penalty on conviction in court of £1,000.