Crackdown on dog mess in Padiham (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Crackdown on dog mess in Padiham

1:22pm Wednesday 17th February 2010 in

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AN operation to crack down on dog-fouling has taken place in Padiham.

It follows scores of complaints by residents about dog mess in the Gawthorpe area of the town.

Police, park rangers, dog wardens and local councillors have joined forces to try to clamp down on the problem.

Operation Foul was started last week and involves tracking down the owners of stray animals and issuing fines to those who have let their dog foul on the pavements.

Police Community Support Officer Rebecca Thompson said: “We hold PACT meetings with the community each month, at which people list their concerns and top of that list at the moment is dog fouling.

“We decided the best way to try to address the issue was by mounting joint patrols which is what we have been doing.

“So far we have issued seven Fixed Penalty Notices to dog owners, action that we hope will reassure the community that local agencies are taking action, and also deter other irresponsible dog owners from letting their dogs leave dirt behind on local streets.”

In October, Padiham councillors applied for the provision of a dog warden for the town after a large number of complaints of dog-fouling.

Coun Vince Pridden, Mayor of Padiham, who accompanied officers on one of their sweeps, said the issue was an acknowledged problem in the town’s linear park.

He said: “If you walk along there now the dog muck has been removed from the path, and that is noticeable, but it is still mostly around the entrances.

“It is irresponsible dog owners that we need to reach.”

l Anyone living in Lancashire can voice their concerns and help police and other agencies decide local priorities. To find out how, visit the Neighbourhood Policing Pages at www.lancashire.police.uk.