SNEAKY dog owners who cunningly allow their dogs to foul the picturesque Castle Walk in Bridgnorth when wardens are off duty are being targeted in special ‘poop swoops’.
Shropshire Council is aware that offending pet owners are flouting by-laws because they know that street scene wardens are not usually on duty early in the morning and late in the evening. If a warden sees a dog fouling the footpath and its owner does not ’scoop the poop’, the offender can be landed with an £80 fine.
But some people deliberately take their dogs out to foul the street at times when they believe they will not be caught, said Bridgnorth street scene manager Glen McGrandle, who revealed there are plans to catch the culprits red-faced.
“At a recent meeting with police we agreed an action plan to target these early morning and late night offenders in a series of swoops,” said Mr McGrandle. “I am not going to say what the timescale is or it will defeat the object of the exercise.”
“But we are warning irresponsible dog owners not to be complacent, or they could easily end up with an £80 fine.”
Last week the Mayor of Bridgnorth, Councillor Brian Jones, pleaded with the culprits to clean up their act as dog mess is a serious health hazard to the public, as well as a deterrent to visitors to the town.
Councillor Jones revealed he had lost a relative through blood poisoning, when an injury sustained playing football became contaminated with dog excrement.