Father’s fury over increase in dog fouling in Leighton Buzzard

An outraged father has hit out at Central Bedfordshire Council over its response to an increase in dog fouling in the town.

The dad, who does not want to be named, says he has had to clean up his young daughter before taking her to school.

He said: “While taking my daughter to school she rode her scooter through dog excrement then proceeded to walk in it! This is the last straw. After cleaning her up and dropping her at school I walked the length of Brooklands Drive where I found no less than 10 separate areas of dog fouling on the pavement and grass verges. There are no poo bins and not one single enforcement sign.”

He says he has made several complaints to the council but has been told there are already enough bins in the area and that the council does not clear up dog mess from grass verges.

He said: “The council rejected my poo bin request and said there are public rubbish bins outside Brooklands school and the Co-Op on Waterdell which can be used instead. This was a poor excuse as this is not being done in the first place. I was also told the safer neighbourhood team will contact me regarding putting up signs etc…. Roll on over two weeks and no contact was received from the council or SNT.”

He says in an automated response he was told some dog fouling enforcement signs could be placed in the area and ad hoc visits from the dog warden would be considered to try to educate residents.

The dad said: “There are two schools on Brooklands Drive and a third leading from Highfield Road. Children are having to walk on the soiled pavements and grass verges daily and are being exposed to this excrement which carries a number of health risks. As a professional dog handler with a working dog the soiled areas are also causing a number of health risks to my dog. The excrement is also attracting vermin such as foxes which also carry a number of diseases which can affect humans.”

He is now calling for residents in the Brooklands Drive area to check if their security cameras pick up the owners letting their dogs foul the area without clearing it up, and report their findings to the council. Owners not clearing up after their dogs in public places can be fined £100 by dog wardens.

He has now written to South West Beds MP Andrew Selous over his concerns and the council response.

He said: “Our town deserves a council better than this and my council tax is not worth paying for this “s***” level of service.”

Cllr Mary Walsh, executive member for planning and waste at Central Bedfordshire Council, said: ‘Dog owners who don’t clear up after their dogs are not only irresponsible but create a health risk. We have received several complaints over the past six months from a resident about dog fouling in the Brooklands Drive area. In response, dog wardens have been carrying out further education and enforcement patrols , which include handing flyers out to residents and speaking to passers-by – no fixed penalty notices or prosecutions have been issued.

“Dog owners or those responsible for them, must (by law) pick up dog mess on any land with public access which includes pavements, public footpaths and roads. Even if you bag it, it is still a littering offence if it is not dealt with responsibly and the failure to do that can result in a £100 fine. Dog waste can also be bagged and put into litter bins or taken home and put into your black wheelie bin.”

You can visit the council’s website to report dog fouling.