Irresponsible dog owners are being targeted in the latest offensive across North Lincolnshire designed to protect and enhance communities.
While litter louts and people caught not picking up after their pooches can already be fined, the latest development is to target people out and about walking their dogs without bags to collect the waste – and not having bags could land offenders with a £100 fine.
North Lincolnshire Council’s Rob Waltham said: “We will keep saying this until people get the message – it is your dog, and you should clean up after it – it’s disgusting, and it’s lazy to expect other people to clean up after you.
“It can blind children. That’s not alarmist, it is a fact. I would not want that on my conscience for the sake of a very simple action of picking up after a dog.
“There are thousands of bins across North Lincolnshire and there is no excuse for not having a proper bag for the proper disposal of waste.”
It is difficult to catch perpetrators after the act, so the powers available to community wardens mean people who do not have the proper waste bags can be fined £100. In April more than 200 people were fined for littering.
The news comes after recent figures revealed the number of complaints about dog mess have reduced.
Cllr Neil Poole, cabinet member for environmental operations, welcomed the reduction in complaints but added: “Dog fouling is a scourge on our streets and public places, and it simply won’t be tolerated.
“It is an offence not to pick up after your dog, and no decent dog owner will leave the house without a pocket full of poo bags.
“We are determined to keep fining the small minority that persists in this disgusting behaviour. They are simply not fit to own a pet and give responsible dog owners a bad name.
“Anyone who sees dog mess on the street or who has any information about people who don’t clean up after themselves should let us know. By working together with the community, we can make sure the people who do this are punished.”
