Two dog owners face £100 fines for failing to clean up after their pets at Boundary Road Park in West Bridgford.
This follows a Dog Control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) introduced earlier this month to further tackle irresponsible dog control in Rushcliffe.
Under the new powers dog owners must also carry a bag or have other means to pick up dog waste after their pet when taking them for a walk or face a possible £100 fine, if unable to produce one on request.
It also allows further action to be taken on those who do not observe dog exclusion zones which will now apply to all children’s play areas, multi-use games areas, skate parks and gym equipment zones which are either fenced or enclosed across the Borough.
Dog fouling on public footpaths and playing fields can cause many problems and in the worst cases can lead to blindness due to an infection called toxocariasis caused by the round worm Toxocara Canis found in dog faeces.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis said: “Boundary Road Park is very popular with families and the children’s play area is particularly well attended.
“Irresponsible dog owners who make the choice to put the health of others at risk by not clearing up their dog’s mess will not be tolerated by our patrolling officers in targeted intelligence led locations that have relevant signs displayed.
“The Dog Fouling Public Space Protection Order rules are really just basic common sense and respect so we should not need to have them in place, but as these two owners have proved, they are needed for safeguarding our children and families.
“The majority of our dog owners have nothing to fear of the new regulations and I thank them for being responsible but for the few who continue to disregard them there are no excuses, so clear up or face coughing up.”
