Merstham councillors are asking concerned local residents if the Council should follow Torbay’s controversial campaign for tackling dog fouling in Merstham.
Torbay’s successful but controversial campaign featured a hard-hitting image appearing to show a young child eating dog faeces which they found in a playground, with the headline “Children will put anything in their mouths”.
The posters were displayed in local bus shelters. Whilst it was envisaged by Torbay that the campaign posters would generate a number of complaints from the public, a total of 1 was received.
The aims of the Torbay campaign were:
- To increase awareness of the issues associated with dog fouling.
- To increase awareness of the penalties associated with dog fouling.
- To highlight that public litter bins can be used to dispose of bagged dog faeces.
- To increase the number of ‘intelligent’ dog fouling reports received by the council.
- To reduce the number of complaints received by the council with regard to dog fouling in Torbay.
In addition to the posters, Torbay also
- Creation of a dedicated webpage – giving information and advice about dog fouling. The webpage encouraged the public to report persistent offenders, and the information required by the Dog Warden to enable enforcement action to be taken.
- Implementation of lamppost stickers – to raise awareness about the penalties associated with dog fouling.
- Circulation of ‘Dog Watch’ initiative’. Dog Watch consists of large, brightly coloured, branded tri-signs which are placed into dog fouling hotspots and accompanied by targeted enforcement.
Dog fouling continues to be a source of a large number of complaints by loacl people to councillors and has been the subject of a number of recent stories in the local newspaper.
Cllr Graeme Crome – Merstham Ward Councillor :
”As a dog owner myself, I am disappointed by the number of owners across Merstham that see fit not to clean up after their dog. It is a shame that so many people appear to have little regard for the care of their dog and for the environment we all live in together.There is no excuse for letting you dog foul, it’s very easy to clean up after your dog using either dog bags or even nappy sacks (both are very cheap and readily available). The bags can be disposed of in ANY of the councils litter bins as well as the dog bins.
It may be that we now need to consider other ways of shaming irresponsible dog owners in to clearing up after their animals, the approach taken by Torbay is one approach that we could learn lessons from. ”
The majority of local dog owners clear up after their dogs, but a growing number continue to ignor their responsibility and leave the mess for someone else to clear up. Merstham councillors would like local residents views on this approach, please leave us your comments.
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For the 2nd time this week, my 3 year old has ended up with dog sh1t on her clothes from these filthy, disgusting dog owners. No poster will force these people to pick up after themselves – they are of the same mentality of those people who throw litter over their shoulder – simply projecting an image of “I don’t care” and “Look at me – I ignore rules”. A poster will simply remind them of all the rules they’re able to ignore.
Hit them where it hurts. Identify them with patrols and fine them. Simple.
Failing that, smear them and their own children with faeces.
Shock value has limited effect and this poster is disgusting. I agree that something more hard-hitting needs to be used but suggest that the little girl reaching for the dog waste would hit the point home hard enough. There is enough revolting imagery in the media already. Nothing will work for some dog owners but for those who have any sense of responsibility perhaps this will be sufficient reminder, particularly if they have children of their own. Dog bins must be emptied regularly, especially in hot weather, and I think there probably need to be more of them, located nearby normal rubbish bins, to make it more convenient for dog owners.
Being new the the area I attend last evenings Merstham Police Neighbourhood Panel meeting, I was quite shocked to hear that there is only 1 Council Dog Warden for the whole of the borough! I know its not the the only part of the job for a warden to do a poo patrol but any campaign that is implemented has to be controlled and enforced or it will be just a waste of money and resources.
I am what I regard to be a responsible dog owner I clean up after my dog and have spare bags in my pockets whenever I go out with her, I WILL challenge others who don’t/ won’t clean up after theirs and offer them bags to do so, however I am not afraid to do so where I understand a lot of other people would be to scared to, for fear of some sort of retaliation.
What is the solution ? Well we have local community police officers, local community neighbourhood watch so why cant we have local community dog wardens ? I have time when taking my dog for a walk to put on a high vis vest with something printed on the back and hand out a few bags (recycled plastic bags cost about £48.00 for 5000)
and maybe get some stickers printed with something like ” I am a responsible dog owner please ask me for a bag ” these could be handed out in the Help Shops to dog owners along with some bags, this would be a good way of promoting the campaign at very little cost, what the heck I will even pay for the first 5000 bags myself ! Any comments or ideas feel free to email me at mccullochsj@aol.com
Thanks
Steve
Steve,
Thank you for comming along to the meeting last night. You make some very good points and I especialy like your idea for ‘community’ dog wardens. I will include this idea along with others in putting our campaign together. Hopefully, as a community we can work together to dramatically reduce the problem across Merstham.
Regards
Graeme
Save your own money, and save the communities money. Buying bags and tabards isn’t the answer. The guilty dog owners know they have a responsibility. They know they have bags at home. They know that someone could step on the faeces. They don’t simply need to be reminded. They simple DO NOT CARE. It’s not down to re-education, or handouts. This is a social issue, like so many of today’s situations are. Why do I see so very little dog waste on Nutfield Road? Or on Church Hill, or Rockshaw Road. This morning, my neighbours on Brook Road have got a dog turd in their driveway and they don’t even have a dog! I’m afraid I don’t know the answer to this – social engineering isn’t my speciality.
After stumbling across this website I am really pleased to see that there is something in the pipeline to tackle the ever increasing problem of dog fouling!
I reported it to the surrey mirror because my husband and I clear up after our 2 dogs and have frequently stepped in another dogs mess in the process!
The children are constantly being nagged to watch where they are walking which in itself is unfair!
I am also sick of hearing people say “dirty dogs!”,that statement should be “dirty owners!”
I wish you all success with the campaign lets see a cleaner Merstham!
What a good idea, YES YES YES
Thank you to everyone who has commented so far, it is good to get feedback from residents.
I will be working with my fellow councillors and council officers to put together a ‘plan of attack’ using the Torbay campaign as a guide for our campaign in Merstham.
Part of this will include trying to get a few more waste bins in the areas of Merstham that currently go without.
I will keep you all informed of my progress in pulling the campiang together.
YES.Drastic action is needed in Merstham.This is a serious problem .As drivers in the area have an obsession with potholes ,as a pedestrian who walks around the Merstham estate on a regular basis(to keep fit,obviously not for the beautiful surroundings)i may have more interest in this subject than some.You simply cannot take your eyes off the pavement ,it is everywhere . I have even had bags of it thrown in my garden.There is no excuse for this behaviour.The Torbay approach is actually quite tame compared to the action i would like to take with these disgusting people.
Yes, if the council actually provides bins!! No bins at all from serpentine right up to Darby House. Its far worse seeing bags of dog poo thrown into bushes than faeces that will naturally become part of soil. I’d rather bins were provided AND idiots stopped from leaving broken glass which injures our dogs every day. No NHS pays for their treatment, and insurance doesn’t cover 1st £100+20% of bills. So please strike the right balance in good citizenship. And yes, I do clear up after her- and no she doesn’t go on the paths- she’s been well trained.
It may be this is a problem in some parts of the neighbourhood but in South Merstham the streets are pretty much free of fouling. I suggest this is well down the priorities of most residents.
Graeme
I am sure it is a good idea BUT not wishing to be flippiant, can it also apply to Foxes, Rabbits and Pidgeons (especially on my car)
Michael
Yes.
Yes. Happy to see a harder-hitting campaign. It will raise awareness. The single complaint experience from Torbay is useful evidence.