DOG owners in Alcester and Studley who let their pooches poo on pavements and verges and then don’t bag and bin it are facing a hike in fines.
Fed up Stratford District Council says its seen a steep rise in complaints of dog mess left in the streets across the area during the coronavirus pandemic.
Now the authority has decided to take action by increasing the fines for foulers from £75 to £100.
In the past the council has relied on the district dog warden leaving stencilled messages on pavements to educate dog owners to be more responsible when it comes to clearing up dog mess.
However it now seems that this is simply not enough.
Councillor Anne Parry, who holds the regulatory portfolio said: “This scheme has been successful in a number of problem areas across the district and whilst there is not the resource to do this for every hotspot, we do target particular areas when complaints arise, and there is a paved public surface for us to spray.
“Unfortunately, the size of our district means we can’t be everywhere all of the time, and it’s likely that a number of dog owners are using the cover of darkness to leave mess on pavements.
“We have now issued a new public spaces protection order and increased the fixed penalty notice of £100 for this offence.
“Moreover, it’s obviously very unpleasant to step in dog mess and it can be a vector for many unpleasant diseases.
“Even one dog fouling in an area over a period of time has a significant impact and we would urge people to be responsible dog owners and bag it and bin it.”
