Cheddar Parish Council to stop providing free dog poop bags
Cheddar Parish Council has voted to stop providing free poop scoop bags at its dog waste bins. The decision was taken because it is costing the council around £800 a year to provide bags and this is no longer considered good use of public money.
The bags were only intended for emergency use by dog walkers, but some individuals have misused the service, taking handfuls at a time, leaving the dispensers frequently empty.
Chairman of Cheddar Parish Council Peter Colton said “Dog waste bags are widely available for about two pence each and it is the responsibility of everyone who walks a dog to carry some when they go out. Owners should know that they are committing an offence if they don’t clear up their dog’s mess on any land open to public access and they could be issued with a fixed penalty notice and subsequently fined up to £1,000.”
What some people may be unaware of is that dog waste, suitably bagged, can now be put in any normal litter bin or domestic black bin. It no longer has to be disposed of in special dog waste bins.
Cheddar Parish Council is planning to provide more dual purpose litter bins around the village and asks residents to suggest high use areas where additional bins could be installed, not only for the benefit of dog owners, but to help reduce the problem of general litter too. If you have suggestions for new sites please email clerk@cheddarparishcouncil.org