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STONE: Shock tactics to tackle dog mess problem

9:30am Sunday 14th March 2010 in


POSTERS showing a young child with dog mess smeared round her mouth are being displayed across a parish to address a dog fouling problem.

Around 30 of the hard-hitting posters have been put up around Stone as part of a campaign by Stone Parish Council following complaints about dog owners not picking up after their pets.

The poster implies the young girl has picked up dog mess and eaten it leading to the possibility she might also pick up a nasty illness.

Parish council clerk Jennie Thomas says the image is open to interpretation but admits council members were “disgusted” by it.

She said: “Our reason in the end for choosing it was if people were talking about it then we have succeeded in creating the awareness we wanted to inspire.

“Sometimes shock tactics are the way to raise awareness, a bland poster probably wouldn’t have much effect.

“We haven’t had a negative comment yet, people are saying it really makes them think.”

The parish council says the image is open to interpretation.

More posters showing different but similarly affecting anti-dog mess images will be put up over the coming weeks.

Information packs containing the poster, a flier and bags to put dog mess in are also being distributed freely to dog owners.

Other ways of tackling the problem include overt and covert surveillance to catch offenders, a review of signage and dog-bin provision and a Facebook discussion group.

Parish council chairman Councillor Thurza Richards said: “The council feels compelled to take action to encourage dog owners to be responsible in clearing up their dog’s mess and have respect for the local environment.

“There are many responsible owners who wouldn’t dream of leaving their dog’s mess to inconvenience others and I’m sure who are just as fed-up by the few giving them a bad rap.

“We want to remind owners not clearing up dog-mess is a criminal offence and they risk prosecution if they do not comply.”

People who do not clean up after their dog can be given a £50 on-the-spot fine.

Refusal to pay could mean court action and a maximum penalty of £1,000.

Comments(28)

Five Arches says...
11:42am Sun 14 Mar 10

Hi

A few more £50 fines would help. It would be interesting to know how many if any have actually be give out.

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sweetkic says...
1:02pm Sun 14 Mar 10

This is sick seeing it round a babys mouth, I can understand where they are coming from I think they should think of another way of doing it.

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It's Me again ! says...
1:35pm Sun 14 Mar 10

sweetkic wrote:
This is sick seeing it round a babys mouth, I can understand where they are coming from I think they should think of another way of doing it.
BINGO !
See it worked....
That is axactly what they need people to think and then hopefully the dog owners will pick up after their dogs

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fruittwist37 says...
2:54pm Sun 14 Mar 10

Clearly they have smeared chocolate on her face, but it is a good avert and people should consider that toddlers will pick up anything off the streets, I'm a dog owner and always have a bag to pick up my dog's mess, why should other people have to pick it up or step in it because others are too lazy to do so? Imagine if it was your child that picked it up and ate it, you would feel different then.

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derekhope says...
3:54pm Sun 14 Mar 10

Horrible but effective! Imagine a dog warden trying to get details off a dog owner after they didn't clear up. He or she would probably set the dog on them. Dogs don't have number plates like cars - now there's a thought.

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ZippyMcZip says...
6:54pm Sun 14 Mar 10

I suggest Bexley Council do something similar about the increasing turd piles scattered about certain parts of Erith. Getting sick of playing dodge the dog poo on the way to the shop, especially when I'm with my little girl.

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apak24 says...
8:55pm Sun 14 Mar 10

Where was the mother or father when this child picked up the dog crap? I know dog crap is a problem in some areas but how many of you out there can honestly say they have ever heard of or seen a child do this? I for one have never heard of this happening. And this is sick.

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Virtual-Monster says...
10:15pm Sun 14 Mar 10

Most dog owners are responsible and do clean up after their pets but anything which reminds the selfish minority of dog owners (who fail to clean up after their dogs) of their responsibilities is a good idea with me.

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Five Arches says...
12:14am Mon 15 Mar 10

apak24 wrote:
Where was the mother or father when this child picked up the dog crap? I know dog crap is a problem in some areas but how many of you out there can honestly say they have ever heard of or seen a child do this? I for one have never heard of this happening. And this is sick.
Hi
I could not agree more it makes me sick when I have to avoid it when out walking.

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Paulinejones says...
7:54am Mon 15 Mar 10

This looks like an in-house poster design and the best they can come up with. A professionally designed and conceptually thought through poster would have shown the result of a child picking up poo...e.g. blindness. The result - far more thought provoking.

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SeeSomeSense says...
8:13am Mon 15 Mar 10

Yet more trouble with dogs! Any dog caught pooping or peeing in parks or anywhere that children play should be taken away from their owners and sold to Taiwan as food. And as for the owners, they should have their faces rubbed into their dog's faeces as a punishment.

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SeeSomeSense says...
10:26am Mon 15 Mar 10

Looking back over the advert again, I don't think it goes far enough. The little girl should be wearing dark glasses to signify that she has been blinded by the dog mess. Dogs and your owners, LISTEN UP! Law abiders have had enough of your dogs, their poo/pee and your attitude towards non-dog lovers. KEEP YOUR DOGS AWAY FROM PUBLIC PLACES!!!

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kae says...
1:18pm Mon 15 Mar 10

SeeSomeSense wrote:
Looking back over the advert again, I don't think it goes far enough. The little girl should be wearing dark glasses to signify that she has been blinded by the dog mess. Dogs and your owners, LISTEN UP! Law abiders have had enough of your dogs, their poo/pee and your attitude towards non-dog lovers. KEEP YOUR DOGS AWAY FROM PUBLIC PLACES!!!
Get a life!!! It's nothing to do with keeping dogs away from public places, it's about teaching dog owners responsibility. I live in Stone and it is a huge problem but I also have a dog that I clear up after. Also most play areas now have an area (such as Stone Rec) where dogs are not allowed.

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Local lady says...
1:20pm Mon 15 Mar 10

You are all attacking the minority and sadly these are the people who will not read or obey posters however ridiculous they look.
A concerted effort to police the area with counciul staff handing out poo bags and fines for a few weeks will cure the problem.
I take offence with the poster as why can't owners of young children teach them not to eat dog poo?

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Local lady says...
1:24pm Mon 15 Mar 10

derekhope wrote:
Horrible but effective! Imagine a dog warden trying to get details off a dog owner after they didn't clear up. He or she would probably set the dog on them. Dogs don't have number plates like cars - now there's a thought.
Er, it's part of their job! If they can't hack it they should resign.

Can I ask how numbering a dopg would help - just as licencing will not work. The good owners will again fund the ones that do not bother. Step down hard on those that don't pay fines or break the law with dogs. Imprison some of them and the others will behave.

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porkpie says...
2:56pm Mon 15 Mar 10

Make them eat it. Job done.

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SE9,10,18 says...
7:05pm Mon 15 Mar 10

SeeSomeSense wrote:
Yet more trouble with dogs! Any dog caught pooping or peeing in parks or anywhere that children play should be taken away from their owners and sold to Taiwan as food. And as for the owners, they should have their faces rubbed into their dog's faeces as a punishment.
Your seriously one twisted individual. Taiwan? What does that have anything to do with this issue? I find that comment racist and I hope anyone from Taiwan that may read this reports you for it................. Back to the subject. I LOVE dogs but HATE the muck that is spread all over the pavement. But why ban all dogs because of the irresponsible owners? Punish the owners that break the law and people will soon enough learn their lesson. Cats poo everywhere in our gardens, foxes ditto. Horses do great mounds in the middle of the street. Birds do it EVERYWHERE. As the saying goes, S*** Happens. I for one dont want it on the streets or in the parks! So the posters can only be a good thing.

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Paulinejones says...
7:55pm Mon 15 Mar 10

I think we all know this about the council being seen to do something about the problem. The people who do this are a minority and really don't care and don't want to be educated. The money would be better spent enforcing the law, fining heavily and using the money from the fines to convict more.

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SeeSomeSense says...
7:56am Tue 16 Mar 10

SE9, why don't you report me yourself? After all, it is a free country! Stop talking nonsense and trying to stir up race hatred.

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SE9,10,18 says...
9:59am Tue 16 Mar 10

SeeSomeSense wrote:
SE9, why don't you report me yourself? After all, it is a free country! Stop talking nonsense and trying to stir up race hatred.
The only person stirring up anything is you. You are a narrow minded waste of oxygen. Hope you have a nice lonely day staring at the computer and playing with your cats.....

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SeeSomeSense says...
11:37am Tue 16 Mar 10

SE9, I've never once stated that I own cats. If I have, please quote me. Now, off you pop to rub those two brains cells together and, hopefully, come up with another highly unoriginal, unfounded and unimaginative put-down.

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Locked and Loaded says...
11:48am Tue 16 Mar 10

SE9, in Taiwan they love their dogs. On a plate right along side the fried rice.
Nice one SeeSomeSence. :)

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SeeSomeSense says...
4:57pm Tue 16 Mar 10

Locked and Loaded, at last someone has seen sense.

Anyone for a takeaway? If so, take the blinkin' dog away from my next door neighbour because it keeps barking and keeping me awake. I reckon it would be best cooked quickly in a very hot wok with a few beansprouts and locusts - yum!

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apak24 says...
1:08am Wed 17 Mar 10

SeeSomeSense & Locked and Loaded you are a couple of stupid people, and should be treated as such. Locked and Loaded, i thought you had more sence? but now i wonder. And as for you SeeSomeSense, i pity you and feel sorry for you.

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SeeSomeSense says...
8:29am Wed 17 Mar 10

apak24, do you really think you are significant enough that I should care what YOU think about ANYTHING? I like the way you wait until the early hours before leaving a comment and hope that no one is around to reply to your pathetic judgement of readers. Some people really have a high opinion of themselves and you are obviously right at the top of the list.

Try getting out more, it will do you a lot of good. By the way, if you go for a walk in the park, be careful not to step in any doogy poop along the way. After all, I would hate to think of your sandals being ruined by excrement on only your second day of wearing them.
My security word is dogs-crap! How appropriate!!

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Dartford1968 says...
9:28am Wed 17 Mar 10

Oh lets just put every dog cat bird hamster and the unruly yob thats breaks into your nans house and beats her up for drug money down. There are far worse things going on in this world than a bit of dog poo and crap yes thats what most people talk.

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SeeSomeSense says...
10:53am Wed 17 Mar 10

You wouldn't say that if you fell over landed face first into a pile of doggy plops, would you? What on earth have hamsters got to do with it? For goodness sake go and find something more productive to do with your time than leaving hatred-inciting comments on this thread. I ask you!

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Locked and Loaded says...
10:02pm Wed 17 Mar 10

apak24 WTF did I say to wind you up ?
Wait till you get dog crap on your Friday best flip flops, you'll be issuing a fatwa then. :)

neck-hold.....you wish !

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The parish council says the image is open to interpretation. Thirty of the posters are being displayed in Stone.

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