Dog Squad Sets Its Sights on Odious Owners

COUNCIL officers have fined 21 people for environmental offences as part of Charnwood Borough Council’s Don’t Muck Around campaign.

The news comes as the Council launches a special week of enforcement to combat dog fouling, one of the biggest sources of environmental complaint.

A team of street wardens will pay special attention to irresponsible pet owners who allow their dogs to foul the streets and parks of Charnwood.

They will patrol a number of hotspot areas throughout the Borough to tackle offenders as part of the award-winning campaign which is also targeting cigarette litter and fly-tipping between September and November.

Councillor Jane Hunt, Charnwood Borough Council’s Cabinet member for Regulatory Services, said: “I’m saddened that we have to go to these lengths to remind people that it is an offence not to clear up after your dog.

“The Council has done so much education around the penalties and impact of dog fouling, yet it is still the number one source of environmental complaint we receive.

“I am sure that we all want our Borough to be clean, tidy and safe for all our residents and visitors. The great majority of dog owners do clean up after their animals and I would like to take this opportunity to thank them for doing so.”

Offenders can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £80. A discounted rate of £50 will apply if the payment is received by the Council within 10 days of issue of the notice. Any person failing to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice after 14 days may be taken to court and if found guilty of an offence could face a fine of up to £1,000. 

Don’t Muck Around is a joint initiative with North West Leicestershire District Council and was last year crowned Britain’s best environmental campaign at the Keep Britain Tidy Network Awards.

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.

Follow the campaign on Facebook.com/dontmuck on Twitter @CharnwoodBC #dontmuck or visit www.charnwood.gov.uk/dontmuckaround2012