'There is no excuse': Newport councillor calls for borough-wide campaign to tackle dog waste
A Newport councillor is calling for a borough-wide campaign to tackle dog fouling.
Councillor Peter Scott has long been calling for more to be done to tackle "irresponsible dog owners" who are failing to pick up after their four-legged friends.
The Newport councillor first launched an anti-dog poo campaign back in 2016 after finding a whopping 136 'instances' behind houses on Wrekin Avenue in the town.
While he said numbers had declined, they were back on the rise, and he was calling for a borough-wide campaign to highlight the negative effects.
Just one gram of dog waste can contain as many as 23 million fecal coliform bacteria which can seep into groundwater and spread salmonella and giardia, posing hazards for pets and people, and contaminating waterways.
"The vast majority of owners do deal with their dog's poo and bag it and bin it. It is the minority that don't care," Councillor Scott said.
"Dog poo bags are free from the Newport Community Library and only a pound or so from the likes of B&M. There is no excuse for not having any with you.
"Also, it helps no one to tie a poo bag to a tree or hedge so either use one of the many bins we have or take it home with you."
Councillor Scott has said that Telford & Wrekin Council are following up soon on his request and is reminding people to report any instances on the My Telford app or website.
He added: "Together as a community we must help rid Newport of this antisocial behaviour."