Recent surveys suggest that the dog population in the UK has risen to around nine million and they are now believed to be more popular than cats. It is also estimated that they produce in the region of 1,300 tons of excrement a day and dog fouling is a major ongoing problem for most communities, including Cowfold.
Although we have a particular issue in Cowfold caused by people who drive through the village and stop off to use the Playing Field as a comfort break area for their dogs, a minority of local dog owners are equally irresponsible and the Parish Council urges them to comply with the law and carry suitable bags and clean up after their dog(s) when walking them in public areas. The bags should be placed in one of the red dog waste bins around the village or taken home, double bagged and disposed of in your normal household waste bin.
Apart from the possibility of the owner facing a fixed on-the-spot penalty of up to £75 or prosecution and a fine of up to £1,000, more importantly, dog mess can spread some really nasty infections and diseases, including toxocaris which is highly infectious, particularly to children, and can result in permanent blindness in serious cases.
