Dog fouling …. Why Wilf loves Dog Waste Bags
We’re very lucky in Wolverhampton, almost all of our park users sharing their visits to our beautiful parks with their four-legged friends are of the ‘responsible’ variety; and carry with them their own supplies of dog-waste (or dog-poop) bags.
Wilf and Wolverhampton Parks love well-behaved dogs (and owners)!
Our rangers often carry dog-waste bags and visitors are encouraged to stop them and ask for a bag if they have forgotten to bring one.
Let’s face it, there’s nothing worse than clearing up after your own dog, just to discover you’ve carried the waste of another dog into your home, onto your floors and carpets. (Trust me, Mrs Wilf, never lets me forget about the last time that happened to me)!
Did you know? …
- In the UK there is enough dog poo to fill 3 Olympic sized swimming pools each week or 1300 Wembley pitches each year
- Dog owners in Wolverhampton that don’t remove their pet waste from public places face a £65 (fixed penalty notice) fine
- Failure to pay the notice will result in prosecution ( with a maximum fine of £1000)
- The cost of emptying the dog waste bins in Wolverhampton’s Parks alone in 2009/2010 was more than £37,000
- The cost to install just one dog waste bin is £340
- The cost to empty one bin for a year is £350
- Dog waste contains many nasties such as:
- disease-causing pathogens
- harmful chemicals
- Dog waste should always be put in your nearest dog waste bin and not washed down the drain to contaminate local waterways.
What can we do about dog poo?
- We can carry bags with us at all times
- Encourage other dog owners to use the waste bins and let them know where they can get bags in the park
- Out and about on the streets and can’t spot a dog waste bin? Let us know
- Teach our youngsters about responsible dog ownership and how to clear up and take care of our pets whilst out and about
- Be a good citizen; if you see an elderly or infirm dog-walker, you could offer to pick up their dogs waste and remove it … like Wilf.
If you are a dog lover, perhaps you or someone you knows would like to:
- Sponsor the purchase and/or maintenance of a dog waste bin, get in touch with us – Ring Parks by calling 01902 551155 and ask for Wilf
- Help us increase awareness by volunteering in your local park to highlight the potential problems to dog walkers.
Links Wolverhampton City Council – Dog Fouling Campaign Hastings – Dog Fouling Campaign (a different take) Novel idea on how to deal with Dog Waste
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