Children, parents and staff at Cygents Pre-School have issued a plea to local dog owners after the start of the new term has been marred by an increase in dog fouling on the pavements and footpaths in the surrounding area of Leigh Park.
The committee-run pre-school is encouraging parents to register concerns with Wiltshire Council after a spate of unsavoury incidents during the first few weeks of term. As part of the campaign, children are also taking part in a competition run by the pre-school to design posters encouraging dog owners to “scoop the poop”, with the signs due to be displayed along walkways leading to Cygnets and Westbury Leigh Primary School.
Angie Gibbs, whose son attends Cygnets says, “I’m very disappointed in the few local dog owners who seem to think it’s OK not to pick up their dog’s mess. I walk my son to Cygnets and am disgusted with the state of the footpaths around Dartmoor Road, leading towards the school and probably beyond Sandalwood Road too. We shouldn’t have to dodge dog mess on every school run, owners should respectfully clear up after their pets. It’s disgusting anywhere, let alone so near a school. It needs to stop!”
Cygnets’ manager Emma Osmond said, “The issue of dog fouling in the area close to Cygnets and the school has always been a problem, but has recently reached an unacceptable level. Every day we have to be vigilant about checking shoes and the wheels of scooters, buggies or bikes. We cannot risk dog mess being trailed through the building – it is both insanitary and extremely unpleasant.
“We’re asking parents to register their complaints online with Wiltshire Council and hope that this will encourage the authorities to take the matter seriously. We hope our campaign will serve to make the minority of local owners who act so irresponsibly think twice about their behaviour when it comes to clearing up after their dogs.”
