Original by Ben Butler, Daily Post - http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-snooping-dog-poo…
The notice issued by Conwy Council asks people to take a stand against dog fouling in their community and report offenders to the authority's enforcement team
Council chiefs have been accused of encouraging “snooping” after this poster emerged urging residents to report dog owners who fail to clean up after their pets.
The notice issued by Conwy Council, which asks people to take a stand against dog fouling in their community and report offenders to its enforcement team, has provoked outrage.
It urges residents to report:
- The times and locations where the offences are being committed.
- A description of the dog and the owner or person responsible.
- A description of the vehicle and the number plate if the dog owner is using a car.
Details will then be used by Environmental Enforcement Officers to “target their patrols more effectively” to help catch offenders.
However, Janet Finch-Saunders, Assembly Member for Aberconwy, who disclosed the shock poster to the Daily Post, said asking members of the public to ‘snoop’ on their neighbours, presented a danger of “considerable inconvenience and embarrassment” being caused to residents.
She said: “I do not think it is the local authority’s role to place the burden of responsibility onto the general public, especially when so much of their hard-earned money is being taken in council tax to pay for Kingdom enforcement officers who are already contracted by the council to undertake this work.
“In asking members of the general public to snoop on their neighbours, there is a real danger of considerable inconvenience and embarrassment being caused to our residents, as well as wasted time.
“This method of reporting has the potential to be highly speculative, and could lead to people being reported, without having committed an offence, by someone holding a grudge against them.
“This is yet another example of where the Plaid Cymru-led local authority is looking to take shortcuts on the quality of services available to our local residents.
“It is imperative that the authority take responsibility for any increase in dog fouling and that they themselves administrate this in line with other authorities across Wales.”
The revelations come after a pensioner fined for allegedly not having her disabled neighbour’s dog on a lead won her battle with Conwy Council last year.
Anne France, 71, from Llandudno, was hit with a demand for £75 from enforcement company Kingdom Security, for allegedly not having Sandy the dog on a lead.
But following a battle at Llandudno Magistrates Court against Conwy Council and Kingdom Security, Anne was acquitted and the fine was overturned.
Meanwhile a plan to use DNA from dog muck to track down people who don’t clean up after their pets looks set to be shelved in Flintshire.
Conwy Council have been approached for comment.