Monday, 29 August 2011 Written by mreid
A letter appeared in the Sale & Altrincham Messenger this week asking other dog owners to take responsibility for their dogs in and around Woodheys Park. The park is a safe haven for responsible dog walkers but we would like to name & shame those dog walkers who do not take the necessary responsibility of looking after a dog in a public place.
The dog walkers letter.
As a new dog owner, I have been interested to read articles in the Messenger about the Bag it, Bin it campaign in Trafford.I accept that we shold have plenty of waste bins available, but this in itself will not solve the problem, as there are some dog owners who simply ignore them.I am lucky to be able to walk my dog daily in Woodheys Park, Sale which has numerous dog waste bins, and I am pleased to say that most dog owners who use this park clean up after their dogs.However I have noticed that there are daily deposits of dog waste hust within the park gates on Chestnut Drive/Link Road so there must be one or two owners who are to lazy or ignorant to walk a few metres into the park to the nearest bin.Every day during the summer, many families with young children enter the park through these gates, and there is a risk to children’s health if they walk in the dog mess.The park keepers do an excellent job maintaining the park, but it is beyond the call of duty for them to clean up after other people’s dogs!As for the disgusting habit of hanging bags of poo on trees and ences or throwing them in bushes, I just despair!Who do these people think is going to clean up the bags? It will take years for the plastic to decompose and in the meantime they will leak toxic waste which can cause serious health problems such as blindness in humans.They wouldn’t hang bags of poo on trees in their own garden, so why do it in our shared spaces? The lack of a waste bin is no excuse. Poo bags should be taken home to your own bin.
Becoming a dog owner has on the whole been a great experience but I have been saddened to see how the irresponsibile actions of a few can be damaging our local environment.
End of Letter.
The Friends group and Trafford Parks & Greenspaces are aware of this issue and it isn’t unique to Woodheys Park. In fact within and around our park we have 21 bins spread over 7.5 hectares which is an extremely good ratio and so there are no excuses for not cleaning up after your dog. We rely on park users to highlight issues and also those people who are seen leaving dog mess within the park. The phone number for this is 0161 912 2000 and ask for the dog warden.
Penalties for dog fouling are outlined in The Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2006. This Act means that it is illegal to fail to clear up after your dog if it fouls any land which is open to the air and to which the public have access.
The penalty for contravening the Act is a £50 Fixed Penalty Notice or prosecution in the magistrates court. This Act is enforced by our Local Environment Officers.
Last Updated on Monday, 29 August 2011 10:24