'If you will not pick up dog poo, get a goldfish'

"Get a cat, get a goldfish, get a stuffed dog," said Julia Huffer

People should "get a goldfish" rather than a dog if they are not prepared to pick up its poo, a councillor has said.

Julia Huffer, from East Cambridgeshire District Council, said: "Get a cat, get a goldfish, get a stuffed dog; do not get a real one and take it out and allow it to foul anywhere."

Her comments were made as the council agreed to fine people £100 for failing to clear up after their dogs.

She has stressed the "life-changing" seriousness of the issue, reporting that another councillor had lost sight in one eye because of dog faeces.

"I do not understand why people get a dog if they are not prepared to pick up after it," Huffer added.

East Cambs introduced a district-wide public space protection order (PSPO) in 2018, which required people to pick up after their dogs and to “appropriately take away or dispose of the waste".

Fines of £80 will now be increased to £100, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Council officers told the operational services committee it was a "challenge" to enforce the order.

They said not many people were willing or able to provide a witness statement when they saw someone failing to pick up after their dog, and in some other cases they said they were not able to identify dog owners.

In 2023-24 officers said there were 54 reports of dog waste being seen on the ground and seven reports of dog fouling.

The committee heard led to one community protection warning and three warning letters being sent out.

Councillors said they understood why it was a challenge to enforce, but supported the extension of the PSPO for another three years.