People living in Splott are calling for harsher fines to deal with the amount of dog mess in their local parks.
Local resident Gail Morgan walks her two dogs Debbie and Dottie around Splott Park regularly. She said, “It’s terrible, it’s just not right.”
“I’ve stepped in mess. They even let [their dogs] do it along the path. You can see where dogs have gone when there are children playing football.”
Whilst out filming for this story, CJS News witnessed one dog owner leaving behind dog waste on the football pitch in Splott park.
Currently, anyone found to have not picked up after their dog could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice and a fine of up to £100 – a punishment similar to minor speeding offences. If a dog owner wishes to contest the charge in court and lose, they may be fined up to £1000.
Keep Cardiff Tidy also runs an awareness campaign across local parks in the city called Leave Only Pawprints which aims to change attitudes and behaviours around dog fouling.
Another resident told CJS News they wanted both stronger fines and better enforcement of the law to catch irresponsible owners.
Gail said there “no excuse” for leaving dog mess behind.
“It’s a story that affects everyone. [Responsible] dog owners are angry because people look at you and think ‘Oh another one’ and it’s just not fair.”
Responsibility for clearing the park of dog waste falls to local councils. It also
In a statement to CJS News, Cardiff Council said “Our park rangers work closely with the waste enforcement team to address dog fouling issues. This includes engaging with dog walkers, and educating them where necessary, on their responsibilities and the importance of carrying dog poo bags and cleaning up after their pet.”
“If a dog fouling incident is witnessed, or a dog owner fails to carry appropriate means to pick up dog faeces, it can result in a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100 being issued.”