A couple of weeks ago I wrote about the awful problem of dog mess on the streets of Alderley Edge.
Despite the Council vowing to get tough on dog fouling it doesn't seem to have made any difference in the village, in fact in recent months it has got worse rather than better on the routes I walk regularly.
It is illegal to fail to clear up after your dog if it fouls on any land which is open to the air and to which the public has access. The penalty for contravening the act is a £50 fixed penalty fine. So I contacted Cheshire East Council to ask how many times the community wardens have visited Alderley Edge in the past 12 months and how many fixed penalty notices have been issued here.
In the past 12 months community wardens have visited the village on 37 occasions but no fines have been issued.
A Cheshire East Council spokesperson said: "Dog fouling is unacceptable and something the Council takes very seriously. In tackling the problem our first priority is to educate dog owners about the health risks and environmental damage. This is done through high visibility patrols and targeted initiatives. We are also exploring partnership approaches that have worked well elsewhere in Cheshire East.
"However, we will also take tough action where required. Our community wardens continue to have success in issuing on the spot fixed penalty notices.
"This means offending dog owners then have to pay a fine of £50, which could rise to £1,000 if they fail to pay.
"Although there have been no fixed penalty notices issued in Alderley Edge this year, there have been several issued in Macclesfield and Prestbury. It is also important to point out that in order to issue the fine, community wardens need to witness the dog fouling, or have strong evidence linking a dog owner to the offence. This makes issuing fines more difficult."
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
As dog owners, myself and my wife together with other members of our family always pick up.Myself,I have a back problem at the moment which makes things difficult but hey ho I do it!
It's all so clever to rip into dog owners,let's just remember what dogs do for us because it's the dogs that get tarred with these comments,special needs,the blind,services special operations,bomb disposal,but hey poo on the pavement !!
Sometimes just sometimes an animals owner lets them down .
Pigeons and horses are also great servants,helping us win two world wars,something some people in this country or coming into this country will have no intention of doing.
There is just one question I would like to ask the know alls, Q is it cheaper to employ a snoop trying to impose fines,or a cleaner who would also pick up litter discarded from that human demon!
A job is a job.However a jobs price isn't necessarily it's payment,not in this country.
I assume that in your world, dogs would not exist. Pets are an integral part of society and I shall continue to support the RSPCA (who rescue mistreated dogs and other animals), feed the birds in our garden and do my level best for the animal world in general (its called humanity).
Yes, there are problems, but please try to get a sense of perspective!
I am afraid I agree my wife and I are within the "responsible dog owners group" to the extent that recently when caught without a bag but with a transgressing dog, recently begged a bag from a shop.
But last night we both commented on the number of #2s that had been left on pavements, fortunately we do not have a stray dog problem in AE so hence it must be down to poor owners, alas. It's not the dogs fault.