National Poop Scoop week is coming up, and to promote the canine clean-up, Cheshire East Council Dog and Community Wardens along with The Dogs Trust are urging dog owners to clean up after their dogs when out walking this summer.
During the campaign, which starts tomorrow, July 26th, the community and dog wardens will be encouraging responsible dog ownership. They will be at The Carrs and Coleshaw Farm Estate on Wednesday 28th July from 10am - 5pm where they will be handing out free poop scoops and chatting to owners about all sorts of dog-related issues.
Councillor Rachel Bailey, Cabinet member with responsibility for Safer and Stronger Communities said: "Every dog owner has a responsibility to clean up after their dog, and throughout the week we aim to raise awareness of this issue and encourage the minority of irresponsible dog owners to keep public spaces clean and pleasant for everyone to enjoy safely."
Every year Cheshire East Council receives 100's of complaints about dog mess which fouls our parks, pavements and public spaces. It is estimated that dog fouling costs councils £22 million a year to clean up, and remains the country's most complained about issue.
Failure to clean up after your dog is an offence and could result in a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice being issued. Cheshire East Council has issued eight of these notices since January 2010. Continued failure to comply can lead to prosecution and a substantial fine.
