Rugby club in plea to tackle pitch dog mess

A CARDIFF rugby club has raised concerns about the amount of dog fouling on the playing fields where they play.

Members of Clwb Rygbi raised the issue on Twitter on Saturday after a lot of dog mess was found on Pontcanna fields where the team play.

The team tweeted: “Look at this, dog owners of Cardiff. Pontcanna fields is not a dog toilet. Kids play there tomorrow.”

But, according to the club, the problem has been going on for a long time, and it’s become a big issue.

General manager at the club Rhys Jones said: “It’s been a problem for years on the fields.

“It’s been particularly bad at Pontcanna fields due to the car park that’s close by.

“People come, park up then let their dogs run around without leads.

“The first thing they’ll do is go to the toilet.

“Then some do not clean up after them.”

The team used to play on sports grounds at Llandaff, but Rhys said the problem wasn’t as big there, although he admits it’s an issue on a lot of sports grounds.

He added: “People can get injuries, or infections – it’s a problem.

“We had to cancel a game for the girls once because there was so much dog mess on the pitch.

“The council can’t do much else than they are doing – they’ve been really supportive and it’s not the responsibility of the council.

“It’s down to the dog owners. The council do all they can.”

Coach Gareth Williams also echoed these thoughts, but added it’s not just a problem for Clwb Rygbi – it’s a problem for clubs across Wales. He said: “People do not care enough. “It’s bad for the players, and for the kids, who play on the field.

“But it’s not just a Clwb Rygbi problem – it’s a problem for all rugby clubs.

“I wouldn’t tar all dog owners with the same brush, but it is a problem. “They need to take responsibility.” Since raising the issue, Clwb Rygbi has received several tweets from other clubs who have experienced similar issues.