'Dawn to dusk' Ribble Valley patrols to catch irresponsible dog owners (From Lancashire Telegraph)

'Dawn to dusk' Ribble Valley patrols to catch irresponsible dog owners

11:50am Tuesday 16th March 2010 in

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A CRACKDOWN on dog owners who let their pets foul at 20 Ribble Valley beauty spots has been launched.

Dog owners have been warned to clean up their mess after the council saw a 30 per cent increase in complaints from residents.

Now, Ribble Valley Borough Council dog wardens and the police will be targeting residents who let their pets poop on private land and leave the mess behind.

Dawn-to-dusk enforcement teams will target the dog-fouling hotspots and irresponsible owners who fail to clean up after their pet will be hit with a £50 on-the-spot fixed penalty notices.

Anyone who fails to pay the notice or continues to break the law could be dealt with by magistrates and face a fine of up to £1,000.

James Russell, the council’s environmental health manager said: “There has been a 30 per cent increase in complaints about dog-fouling recently and the council is committed to taking action.

“We will particularly be targeting popular footpaths that cross farmland, as dog-fouling is hazardous and can result in significant commercial loss to livestock owners.”

Special signs have also been put up at more than 20 dog-fouling hotspots, including Longridge Fell, West Bradford Bridge, Dinckley Wood, Wilpshire, Langho and several sites in Clitheroe, asking dog-owners to clean up their mess.

Mr Russell, added: “There is a common misconception among dog owners that they don’t have to clean up their pet’s mess from fields, but that is not the case, particularly on private land.

“It is the duty of dog owners to clean up after their pets, wherever they foul, and there are no excuses for leaving dog mess in public places.

“We are asking dog owners to play their part in keeping Ribble Valley a clean and special place.”

If you want to report dog-fouling contact the Dog Warden Service on 01200 414464.