Schoolpupils design anti-dog fouling posters
Schoolpupils in Bridgnorth and Shrewsbury have been taking action on dog fouling by designing their own signs to highlight the problem in their communities.
The children, from various primary schools in the two towns, have been working with Shropshire Council’s dog warden, Jane Salisbury, who covers the central and south east areas, to produce colourful signs to tackle the problem of dog fouling.
Thirty designs have been chosen to be turned into street signs so that they can be used wherever there is an issue. Some have already been installed in Alveley, the Grove Estate and Crown Meadow in Bridgnorth.
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member responsible for environmental maintenance, said:
“The children came up with some wonderful designs to highlight this anti-social behaviour. Dog fouling is a very unpleasant and dangerous problem, but with the children’s help I hope these signs will raise awareness of the issue, and persuade those responsible to clean up after their dogs.”
Jane Salisbury said:
“We have recently received a number of complaints about dog mess in and around Bridgnorth.
“After reviewing our signage we found that our more formal signs were somewhat ignored. I decided to go out to the schools to talk to the children about the health risks of dog faeces, and they were tasked to design posters to help combat this problem.
“By involving those in the community who are affected, we hope it will send a message to irresponsible dog owners.”
Coming into contact with dog faeces can cause ‘toxocariasis’, which can lead to serious illness and even blindness. Children are particularly vulnerable to this.
Failing to clear up after your pet is a criminal offence, and those found to be responsible could face an on-the-spot fine of £75.
To report a dog fouling problem, people can visit http://shropshire.gov.uk/environmental-maintenance/street-cleaning/report-a-dog-fouling-problem/ or call the council’s customer service centre on 0345 678 9006.
