Making a stand on dog dirt?

Where do you stand on dog dirt?

The Conservatives have waded into the debate with steel toed jackboots demanding a “tougher approach” on the issue.

They are not ones for pussy footing around when it comes to pooch poo.

Their call follows the release of figures that shows Sunderland City Council handed out only five fixed penalty notices for dog fouling in the community.

And to be fair, it doesn’t sound like a lot.

Such a paucity (or should that be paw-city?) of fines will hardly have your persistent dog mess offenders quaking in their boots.

We have long called for the short sharp shock punishment for those who cause problems in our community. Dog mess is an issue that, in more ways than one, gets up the nose of our readers. Dishing out big fines to persistent offenders seems like a good route to pursue if we are send out a strong message.

And the council has teeth when it comes to penalising muck spreaders.

As we reveal today, anyone breaching a dog control order – which includes dog fouling – can face a fixed penalty of £80 and, if the case is taken to court, offenders could face a maximum fine of £1,000 on conviction.

The criticism being levelled is that the council has teeth, but is only baring its gums! While five penalty notices is low, they have at least dished out a more respectable 81 warning letters. The aim, we presume, is to give first time offenders the chance to mend their ways.

We trust this softly softly approach reaps rewards.

If it doesn’t and the dog mess issue persists, the council must forget the gums and bare the teeth.

Bite, not bark, may well be the answer.