Residents continue to be concerned by the growing amount of dog fouling in the Parish. It would seem that some dog owners are ignoring their responsibilities, by allowing their dogs to foul public open spaces and footpaths and then failing to clear up afterwards. As a dog owner you are expected to poop and scoop and discard in your own black bin or in dog waste bins provided by the Council. Failing to do this could see dog owners fined between £100 and £1,000 under the Public Spaces Protection Order.
Cheshire East Council has a duty to take action against irresponsible individuals who fail to clear up after their dogs, on land which is open to the public. Not only is dog mess highly unpleasant, it is also a hazard to health – particularly to young children. Roundworm eggs found in dog mess (toxocara canis) can easily be picked up by children. This causes stomach upsets, sore throats, asthma and, in some cases, blindness.
The habit of hanging bagged dog mess on trees is also not allowed. If anybody is spotted hanging their dog mess from trees, they are risking a fine, even though the mess is bagged.
Chelford Parish Council is asking Cheshire East to provide more dog waste bins in the hope of encouraging all dog owners to use them. In the meantime, we hope that all dog owners do the sensible and responsible thing, to keep our paths and open spaces relatively clean and free from potential health hazards.