Campaign to combat dog fouling

DOG owners in Westbury will soon be asked to lend their support to a campaign to tackle dog fouling.

The Westbury area board is launching a poster and awareness campaign to remind people about their responsibility about cleaning up after their dogs.

The campaign which will see new posters on every rubbish bin in the town, will be launched at 10.00am on Saturday 16th February in Westbury High Street when area board chairman cllr Mike Cuthbert Murray will be joined by Westbury Mayor cllr Sue Ezra. Dog owners will be able to get free dog waste bags as well as advice and information from the Wiltshire Council dog warden who will also be carrying out microchipping.

The idea for the awareness campaign followed a number of issues raised to the area board by local people about dogs being allowed to foul footpaths in and around the town. The posters remind owners that the responsibility is theirs. The campaign is funded by the area board and supported by the town council, which supplies free dog waste bags at the heritage centre and the town council offices.

Dog fouling is one of Britain’s most common litter complaints. Dog fouling is not just unsightly, it can prove hazardous to people’s health too, leading in some cases to an infection called toxocariasis.