Crack down on irresponsible dog owners

IRRESPONSIBLE dog owners are being targeted as part of a campaign to crackdown on dog fouling in key areas of Warrington.
Warrington Borough Council has joined forces with Keep Britain Tidy on the ‘We’re watching you’ campaign which encourages dog owners to bag it then bin it.
Executive board member for environment and public protection, David Keane, (pictured) said: “Dog fouling is an important issue in Warrington and something that our residents feel very strongly about.
“The ‘we’re watching you’ campaign uses innovative, cutting-edge materials, which ‘charge up’ during the day to glow in the dark at night. This is the first time such a material has been used on a poster. We are pleased to roll this successful national campaign out in Warrington and hope that residents help us to support the campaign, spread the word and share it on social media.”
“The vast majority of dog owners are responsible people, who do pick up after their dog and dispose of the poo bags correctly, however, we want to target those who don’t act so responsibly and we’re hoping this campaign will achieve that.”
Keep Britain Tidy’s research has shown that dog walkers are more responsible, and pick up after their dogs, when they think that they are being watched. Dog fouling tends to occur at night time and during the winter months, as some dog owners feel that they can’t be seen.
If witnessed, offenders face a fixed penalty fine of £50 or a maximum penalty on conviction of £1,000.
Enforcement officers need information from the public to get the evidence they need to find and convict offenders. Please report irresponsible dog owners with as much information as possible to help officers track them down. You can report dog fouling on line at www.warrington.gov.uk/report or call the Contact Centre on 01925 443322.