Dog walkers in Burnham-On-Sea have this week been urged to help crackdown on fouling along the town’s beaches and pavements.
A fresh campaign has been launched by Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset that urges dog owners to be responsible and ‘bag it and bin it’ this summer.
Coastal Community Officer Tanya Cox told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Burnham-On-Sea, Berrow & Brean are all havens for dog walkers – miles and miles of sandy beaches to roam free on, dog friendly cafes and shallow water to paddle in.”
“Sadly, our coast is blighted by dog fouling, leaving many community members and local businesses frustrated that irresponsible dog owners aren’t cleaning up after their pooches.”
“Not only is dog fouling a recognised form of anti-social behaviour, it is likely to land you a sizeable fine from the council and it also affects the quality of our coastal bathing waters so you might want to think about that before your dip your toes in the water.”
“Due to the nature of modern diets for dogs, dog poop is very high in harmful bacteria. If left on or near beaches and water courses, this bacteria can multiply and impact on the quality of the bathing water, particularly at Burnham-On-Sea where it has been proven to be a big problem.”
“Simply bagging and binning dog poo makes a real difference. It keeps our streets and coastal environment clean, safeguards the health of beach and water users and protects our bathing water.”
“Dog poo can be binned in both Poo Bins and general waste bins which are dotted all along the coastline so there really is no excuse for leaving it on the beach. Remember, try as he might but your pooch can’t do it himself, so I’m afraid that it is over to you!”
She added: “Join the Litter Free Coast & Sea Somerset Poo Fighters this summer. Work with your neighbours, friends and family to promote our beaches as being clean and dog-friendly holiday destinations this summer. Gently encourage dog walkers to bin their dog’s poop and report offenders to Sedgemoor District Council’s dog wardens.”
“With ever more people vowing to take a staycation this summer, we can expect more of our four-legged friends on the beaches over the coming weeks – let’s do what we can to protect the environment for all to enjoy.”
Burnham’s Crufts-winning dog owner Nessa Holbrow, whose dog Jack is pictured right, added: “The beautiful weather has sadly brought with it a lot more dog mess as more people get out with their pets. It’s everywhere and it’s horrible.”
“All owners must clean up after themselves – it’s their responsibility, not the dogs! Dangling baubles of dog mess on the trees really isn’t cleaning up. Please bag it and bin it and stop giving responsible dog owners a bad name.”
To get involved, support the campaign on Facebook and Twitter by using the hashtags #PooFighters #bagitbinit and #binit4beaches or visit www.litterfreecoastandsea.co.uk/somerset to find out more.
