Riverside has launched a new weapon in the war against dog dirt in Liverpool, the dog fouling capital of the UK.
Liverpool City Council issued more fixed penalty notices than any other local authority for dog fouling. The city’s enforcement officers handed out 580 penalties, compared to just one in Wirral and six in St Helens.
In a bid to tackle the problem, Liverpool City Council has teamed up with housing association Riverside to launch a campaign highlighting the dangers of dog fouling and encouraging dog owners to be more responsible.
The £8,000 campaign is targeting the County ward after residents identified dog fouling as the most important issue to them.
As part of the campaign, environmental operatives from Riverside are taking to the streets with a portable vacuum pooper scooper. The environmental operatives are part of Riverside’s Your Place team set up to revitalise neighbourhoods by making them cleaner, greener and safer.
The backpack operated vacuum sucks up the dog mess then the team will spray a disinfectant to sterilise the pavement. The team will also be using stencils and chalk spray to mark and map the mess. They will then pass this intelligence to the council’s enforcement team who can use it to identify hotspots and target the culprits.
Riverside’s Neighbourhood Services Manager Michael Bowles said: “We recognise that most dog owners are responsible and clean up after their pets, but unfortunately there is a small minority who turn a blind eye.
“Dog fouling is the most offensive type of litter on our streets and an issue which causes real concern among our tenants and residents. Dog fouling is not only unpleasant, it is dangerous. For that reason we are committed to tacking the issue.”
Cllr Tim Beaumont, assistant cabinet member for the environment and climate change at Liverpool City Council, added: “We will not tolerate dog fouling. We aim to send a clear message that the minority of dog owners who do not clean up need to take responsibility for their animals and anyone caught failing to clear up after their pet will be fined.
“However, this campaign is about more than just enforcement. We hope to educate and inform residents. We will be encouraging residents to supply us with information on offenders
“We also want to remind dog owners that it is simple to clean up after their pets. To help get this message across we will supply free dog bags and we are installing eight new bins. We are also looking into running a reward scheme for responsible dog owners.”
The campaign is launching next week (Monday 24 January) and is due to run until the end of March. The main areas to be targeted are:
– Arnott Street / City Road/Goodison Road,
– Walton Church/ Heathcote/Bedford Road area
– Moor Lane/ Haggerston Road area
To report dog fouling Liverpool City Council on 0151 233 3001.
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