As part of ongoing work to keep the district clean and safe, Dover District Council, in partnership with a leading bag dispensing station company, is extending a scheme to provide free bags for picking up dog waste, following the successful launch in 2019.
Ten new bag dispensers have been installed across the district, to provide dog walkers with free bags to pick up after their pets.
This is in addition to the 15 previous stations, from which around 152,500 100% compostable bags have been dispensed, meaning less single-use plastic in the environment, and potentially over 150,000 dog messes picked up using the bags.
As part of this project, Eco Green Communities has agreed for DDC to be supplied with 10 trees to be planted to offset the carbon footprint of the ten new stations.
Dog fouling is not only unpleasant, but is dangerous
Whilst rare, contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis. Anyone who fails to pick up after their dog can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100, and if the case goes to court, individuals can end up with a bill of up to £1,000.
Dover District Council continues to work to inform and educate people about the need to pick up after their pets and continue to carry out enforcement patrols and to prosecute irresponsible dog owners where appropriate. This follows a wide-ranging campaign to help raise awareness, under #Dontdumpindoverdistrict
This also follows the success of the Great British Spring Clean, and news that DDC has thanked residents, businesses, schools and local clubs for taking part, after around 300 local volunteers tool part in litter picks across Dover, Deal and Sandwich.
Julie Cook of Eco Green Communities said: “By sponsoring these stations, local companies have been helping to reduce dog fouling, which is a perennial problem for many local authorities. A survey of the councils we’re working with has shown that where our stations are installed there’s an average decrease in dog fouling complaints of 49.4% and a 56.8% decrease in overall littering in the same areas. That has to be a positive result.”
For more details on the bag dispensers in the district, including mapping showing the locations, please see the DDC environment pages.