Cornwall Council in dog fouling poster campaign

The huge posters are aimed at stopping "irresponsible" dog owners from refusing to clean after their pets

A council is putting up glow-in-the-dark posters with the words "we're watching you" on them to help tackle dog fouling.

The posters are part of Cornwall Council's ongoing clampdown on "irresponsible" dog owners.

It is working with the Keep Britain Tidy campaign and it forms part of the local authority's bid to keep the county litterless.

Councillor Rob Nolan said there were "no excuses" for fouling.

The crackdown on the offence has seen fixed penalty notices jump from 17 in 2018-19 to 84 in 2019-20, Cornwall Council said.

Mr Nolan said the "no-tolerance" approach to dog mess must be as strong as ever ahead of an extension to the summer months when dogs can be on beaches.

'Think twice'

"Dog poo is unsightly, it's a nuisance, and it's a health hazard," he said.

"On these dark winter evenings some unscrupulous people think they don't need to take the trouble, as they think they won't be observed.

"Now our luminous eyes posters should make them think twice".

Mr Nolan warned offenders how it could lead to prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

Lanner School near Redruth is one of the 12 sites where the campaign will be tested.

If the pilot is successful the council will likely expand the approach to more town and parish councils.

The introduction of the posters has already reduced dog fouling by up to 75% in Portsmouth - the first place to use this approach - according to campaigners.