A new campaign is underway to try and reduce dog fouling in Burnham-On-Sea.
Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset is carrying out a number of activities in the town this month to address the problem.
The group’s Chloe Walker-Panse explained that a ‘spray campaign’ is the first of several initiatives in Burnham as part of a unique approach.
“We have surveyed a 100m area in a local dog fouling hot spot. We spray the poo with chalk paint and make a note of the number and type (bagged/unbagged) and we then leave it for a couple of days to raise awareness, showing it isn’t going unnoticed,” she said.
“The Clean Surrounds team then come and clean the area in time for the next spray a couple of days later. We record the numbers and types again and compare the results from the first spray.”
Evening dog talks are being planned for local dog owners, with a series of talks from local vets, nurses and dog wardens to discuss caring for dogs in the winter. There will be various topics discussed, including highlighting the necessity of picking up after your dog.
Community dog walks are also being planned, with an event to gather like-minded locals together to walk dogs and discuss dog-fouling issues.
“Hopefully, we will also identify volunteers who would like to help us continue tackling dog fouling beyond the month of October,” she said.
A photo competition has also been launched this week on social media to highlight the issues of dog fouling.