Parents kick up a stink over piles of dog dirt on school route in Lincoln
Parents in Lincoln say they are having to dodge piles of dog dirt on the school run every day.
People living in Brant Road claim their lives are being blighted by irresponsible dog walkers. And they say the problem is getting worse.
-
Angry: Claire Holmes with her children Megan, 5, and Isabelle, 1, are appealing to dog owners in the Brant Road area of Lincoln to clean up after their pets. Picture: John Jenkins
Now they are calling for more dog dirt bins and urging people to clean up after their pets.
Mum-of-three Claire Holmes, 35, a travel agent, said a minority of irresponsible dog owners were causing the problem.
"There's dog muck along the whole route to school, all along Calder Road, on both sides of the road," said Mrs Holmes, of Orchid Road.
"It's not the odd piece. The other day when I was walking home there were five pieces.
"I have a 1-year-old and I cannot leave her in the house unattended while I clean dog-dirt off the wheels of the pushchair.
"It's not just the residents with children who are affected. There's lots of elderly people around here that just don't see it.
"Most dogwalkers are responsible but I think it's one or two that don't clean up."
Mum-of-one Samantha Curtis, 41, of Orchid Road, called on other dog walkers not to leave the streets in a mess. " I walk my dog in the same square as everyone else and I always go out with three carrier bags," she said.
"It takes two seconds to scoop up and I cannot understand why not everyone does it.
"No-one likes to do it but it comes as part of owning a dog. It's like cleaning out a fish tank or mucking out a horse."
Chris Walker, 25, a museum educator, of Calder Road, said: "Dog owners should clean up after their pets but I do think there needs to be more bins."
Tony Garner, enforcement officer at the City of Lincoln Council, said one dog mess bin had removed from a lamppost in Brant Road during works but later replaced with one further down the road.
"However, dog owners can put bagged dog mess in any ordinary litter bin," said Mr Garner.
"We've been made aware of problems with dog mess in the Brant Road area previously, and have increased patrols.
"From our initial investigations, it looks like the problem lies with one or two inconsiderate and irresponsible dog owners.
"We'd like to appeal to local residents to keep an eye out and get in touch with us with a description of dog and owner and the time of the walk if they see anyone leaving dog mess."
To report the problem call the council on 01522 881188.
10 Comments
by Adrian1208
Tuesday, January 10 2012, 9:33PM
“It's not having bins thats the problem, It's having the people to empty them, Government's made that many cuts, council carn't afford to empty them!!!!!!!”
by Gnome_Chomsky
Monday, January 09 2012, 9:36PM
“Fascinating link there, Steve.
I'm pleased to see that you acknowledge your mind was still young at 'the advent of time', that you were naive and living in a fantasy world.
I stopped reading at that point, since it is obvious nothing has changed.”
by Steve_Lincoln
Monday, January 09 2012, 5:13PM
“I also believe that cat and horse owners should be made to clean up after their pets, as this is also very annoying to most other people.”
by stevebatkin
Monday, January 09 2012, 3:53PM
“Successive Labour Party / Tory Party Governments have had decades to get problems with dogs sorted out -- dog fouling, animal cruelty, dangerous dogs etc. They have not done it!
http://tinyurl.com/c5fch56”
by thomastom
Monday, January 09 2012, 1:41PM
“I ve seem some of the culprits in the city centre, so let's hope the street drinking intiative works. I hate being Victor Meldrew but if a dog is taking its time to evacuate on a main thoroughfare and no one feels they have the right to object, then some form of change is needed.”
by theknowitall
Monday, January 09 2012, 1:15PM
“Is any of this problem attributable to stray dogs and if so, can they be caught?”
by helgy2
Monday, January 09 2012, 1:09PM
“Surely the dog dirt can be dna tested and the fine can recoup the cost of the test.
Sort it out this is Lincoln not Cleethorpes.”
by thomastom
Monday, January 09 2012, 12:30PM
“I moved to a property in central Lincoln last year. Like the property programmes say, you have to make some compromises. I had not factored in dog poo. Last week I was walking by DOGma and the Barnardos charity shop. Not to lower the tone, but a huge amount of dog dirt had been `spread' up and down the thoroughfare. My stomach churned at the thought of this muck being taken into supermarkets, restaurants and even our magnificent Cathedral. I tend to fire off an email to Highways, which gets a prompt reply. However, I often have to stand them down as the problem has been `eliminated' by the footfall. Yuk!”
by snoddybag
Monday, January 09 2012, 12:24PM
“It is about time it was made law that all dogs in the country should have their DNA taken.
That would soon put a stop to dogs fouling public areas. Bring back dog licences.”
by Phil1W
Monday, January 09 2012, 11:35AM
“Should somebody at the council not get off their backsides and get down to Brant Road and catch the offenders in the act and prosecute them. I believe the council employ people for this purpose. We're having a mild winter so the poor things won't get too cold if they wrap up properly!”