Dog’s faeces could cause illness if they are not removed immediately.
Watching a puppy dog could be pleasant, but what about going blind because of dog’s poo?
It was an expensive week for one dog owner who faced court bills totaling over £480 after failing to clean up after their pet.
The offending poo, left in Cardiff’s Lydstep Park, could have had unforeseen consequences.
Dog’s faeces could cause Toxocariasis, which can lead to blindness or even abdominal pain, according to Centers for Disease control and prevention.
The RSCPA says there are approximately 8.5 million dogs across the UK which increase the risk of contracting this decease.
NHS England stated that since children and young adults are more likely to play outside they are more exposed to Toxocariasis. To prevent it, the owners are asked to remove dog’s faeces immediately. Therefore, the dogs act of 1996 creates a criminal offence for the owners. The court may fine them up to 75 pounds if they do not respect the rules.
We asked people in Cardiff Bay about how they are dealing with dog’s waste in their daily life.
Will Parnett, 60, Cardiff, Policeman
I stepped on dog’s faeces and I went in the house and it went all on my carpets, so it’s very unpleasant. The council should enforce the law, because dog’s owner must clean after their pets. I don’t have a pet myself and I don’t see why I should pick up other people’s mess.
David Bond, 70, Cardiff, retired
I stepped sometimes on it. It’s important to remove it because it’s dirty, smelly and it can cause eye infection as well. If I got the bags on me I would remove other dog’s faeces because it’s not really nice and everybody should look after dogs. But it still the owner’s responsibility to clean it.
Ray Hassan, 59, Cardiff, Yoga instructor
It’s important to keep the streets clean. I stepped on it many times but I don’t want to remove other dog’s faeces, that’s for someone else responsibility. The council should provide more bins. They should enforce the fine especially down here where there are lot of people. I have never seen anybody stopped and fined for it.
Carla Flayne, 70, Cardiff, retired
I’m used to remove my dog’s poo, I always have bags on me. Everyone need to do so. They should give a fine if they don’t pick it up, I mean that’s disgusting. The council should find volunteers who can go on and say to people that they need to pick them up.
Phil Wordsworth, 40, Goole
We need to keep things tide and clean. Dog’s faeces are dangerous because they have stuffs inside. I think fine it’s just the last resort, it’s better to provide poo bags, or poo stations as well as noticing the things that people need to do themselves.
Lennech Oborn, 75, Cardiff, retired
It’s not good for the environment. People are supposed to pick them up, so what a council can do if they don’t. When you walking now, you always need to keep your eyes down, you can’t be looking around because you don’t know on what you are going to step in. My wife and I always pick it up because children are playing outside.
Paul, Cannon, 55, Cardiff, retired
It’s important to remove it to keep the place clean, and don’t pass any infections around. People are more responsible. If they don’t clean behind their pets I’ll tell them to remove it or I’ll do it . However, you don’t see dog’s poo as we were used to. May be they should do a campaign about it just to remind people.