Dog poo campaign encourages owners to pick up after pets

Frome Town Council said it often gets complaints about dog poo

A town council has launched a new campaign to encourage dog owners to pick up after their pets.

Frome Town Council said the issue is "often raised by residents on local forums and social media".

"Prosecutions are really rare, because you've got to have photo evidence of it happening and then link it to the dog," said Rachel Griffin from the council.

A series of chalk stencils and posters will appear in public spaces reminding dog owners to clean up.

According to Keep Britain Tidy, the UK's eight million dogs produce more than 1,000 tonnes of mess every day.

A fixed penalty notice for not cleaning up after a dog is £100, which can rise to £1,000 if the case goes to court.

Contact with dog poo can cause a condition called toxocariasis.

Councillor Anita Collier said: "You’ll see stencils on walkways in parks and around town, a visual reminder to people that they have a responsibility to clean up after their dogs.

"We’ll also install poo bag points in lots of the places where the problem is happening.

"We know even the most responsible dog owners occasionally slip up and we want to help solve the problem, not just point it out," she added.