Don't Muck Around Focuses on Dog Fouling

This weekend the award-winning Don’t Muck Around campaign moves on to all things doggy with the Bark in the Park event at Sence Valley Park near Ibstock.

Organised by North West Leicestershire District Council and Charnwood Borough Council, Bark in the Park is designed to provide information, education and most of all fun for families and their four-legged friends.

It is part of the joint campaign which is targeting cigarette litter, dog fouling and fly-tipping in both areas between September and November.

From 1pm until 5pm on Sunday 23 September, dogs and their owners can go barking mad with everything from dog shows, to dog agility, stalls, demonstrations and micro chipping.  It’s free, whether you are a dog owner or a dog lover.

Councillor Alison Smith, Portfolio Holder for Community Services at North West Leicestershire District Council, said there’s a series message behind the fun.

She said: “Bark in the Park is a celebration of dogs and their owners and offers a really fun day out.  But there is also a serious message around the dangers of dog fouling.

“Dog fouling is a serious issue which is of concern to many of our residents. As well as being unpleasant, it presents serious health risks.  Don’t Muck Around is about encouraging all dog owners to be responsible, to pick up after their dogs and to think of others when taking their dogs for a walk in the streets or in fantastic open spaces like Sence Park.”

The 2012 Don’t Muck Around campaign was launched earlier this month, with a blitz on cigarette litter, which has seen the Councils’ Street Environment teams out tackling the menace of discarded cigarettes at bus stops, colleges and businesses, as well as encouraging people to kick the habit.

Councillor Jane Hunt, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Regulatory Services, said: “Bark in the Park is a perfect way of combining family fun with a serious message. Dog fouling blights our environment and offenders can be prosecuted and fined up to £80 if they fail to clear up after their pet.

“I hope that dog owners who head down to the event on Sunday can spread the word that neither Council will tolerate dog fouling offences.”

If you know of an offender or want to report an incident, call in confidence on 01509 634564 or email cleaner.greener@charnwood.gov.uk.

Check us out on Facebook.com/dontmuck, follow us on Twitter @CharnwoodBC #dontmuck or watch our video on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARCGRJkgiVM.

For more information, visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/dontmuckaround2012