Dog owners facing ‘robust measures’ to tackle fouling
“ROBUST measures” to tackle dog fouling are set to be considered following a call to ban dog walking on a South Wales council’s playing fields.
It comes after a councillor revealed a local rugby player suffered a serious leg infection and had to have an operation after suspected contact with dog mess.
Bridgend council has put on record that it will “explore all avenues open to the council to bring forward robust measures”.
It said it will “address the spirit” of the proposals put forward by Councillor Alex Williams. He had urged Bridgend County Borough Council to follow Rhondda Cynon Taf’s lead and bring in powers to ban dog walking on council playing fields, compel dog owners to carry dog mess bags, to pick up after their pet and dispose of the waste properly and to put their dog on a lead if ordered by an “authorised officer”.
The proposed Public Spaces Protection Order would mean those who defied the ban would be fined.
At Wednesday’s meeting of the full council, Coun Williams’ original proposal, which called for the Public Spaces Protection Order to be introduced immediately, was withdrawn.
But Coun Williams said he was happy with the amendment which will take the issue forward to cabinet.
He added: “I was content for this to occur providing that a report will actually generate action and the issue won’t be brushed under the carpet.”
He said persistent problems with dog mess on the pitches at Heol y Cyw and Pencoed rugby clubs had prompted him to call for Bridgend to take much tougher action.
He said a Heol y Cyw player had to have an operation after getting an infection, which is thought to have been caused by dog mess. An online petition started by Coun Williams has also gathered more than 500 signatures.
But his calls have led to criticism responsible dog owners would also be demonised. As a dog owner himself he disagrees with this view.
“It wouldn’t penalise responsible dog owners at all because they are already picking up after their dogs and are responsible by walking them on open spaces that are not marked as public spaces,” he said. “It’s the irresponsible dog owners that we are looking to tackle. It’s about a change of culture.”
A Bridgend council spokesman said: “We are currently developing a proposal for working in partnership with an external agency to look after and enforce issues such as dog fouling, fly-tipping, littering and more.
“We have also recently introduced additional bins and bag-dispensing stations as part of a trial to make it easier for people to dispose of pet waste in the county borough.”