Dudley dog owners fined over parks blight
Dozens of dog owners in Dudley are being slapped with £50 fines for failing to clear up after their pets each year - with the majority of culprits caught in three parks in the borough.
Over the past two financial years, a total of 111 people were given penalties by Dudley Council.
Out of those caught, more than 10 were stopped at the Wrens Nest Nature Reserve, seven at King George V Park in Wordsley and at Buffery Park in Dudley.
Five people were caught in both Stevens Park, in Thorns Road, Quarry Bank, and Silver Jubilee Park, in Mason Street, Coseley.
Dog wardens also handed out fines in Mary Stevens Park in Norton, Dudley Wood Recreation Ground in Netherton and Leasowes Park in Halesowen.
Wordsley Councillor Derrick Hemingsley launched a campaign against pet owners failing to clear away dog mess from King George V Park last year.
Councillor Hemingsley, who is also a governor at Belle Vue School, called for extra patrols from dog wardens and the introduction of more dog waste bins.
He said: "I have been working closely with the council in relation to dog fouling - we had a situation where the safety of users was being put into question by the amount of fouling in the park.
"We spoke to the officers and talked about what could be done. They have been monitoring the situation effectively, while new dog bins were rolled out.
"It is a difficult issue which will never completely go away, but it has certainly improved over the past year at the park - I'm no longer getting the phone calls like I did 12 months ago."
Halesowen councillor Ken Turner said he was satisfied with the number of penalties being handed out, but called for an increase in dog wardens in the borough.
He said: "If there are more people given the opportunity to become dog wardens then we can try to discourage more people from this despicable habit.
"It causes a nuisance and is dangerous to people including children."
Dog walkers caught not clearing up after their pets face on-the-spot fines of £50. If they fail to pay, they can face a maximum penalty of £2,500.
People are able to report offenders to the council using an online form, as well as sending a request for a new dog bin for a park.
Wardens have not just been handing the fines out at parks. People have been penalised in busy town streets, such as High Street in Stourbridge and Milking Bank in Dudley.
The figures on fines were obtained in a Freedom of Information request to Dudley Council.
A total of 55 fines were given out in 2012/13, and 56 in 2013/14.
