Winning the war on dog poo

A month ago, Rother District Council joined the national We’re Watching You Campaign, launched by the charity Keep Britain Tidy in an attempt to reduce the menace of dog mess.

Before the launch, officers carrying out a regular ‘poop patrol’ recorded 44 incidences of uncollected dog waste at hotspots across the district.

However, the campaign seems to have done the trick, with just 12 piles of poop clocked during the latest inspection – a reduction of 73 per cent.

The campaign, which features posters with glow-in-the-dark eyes warning errant dog walkers ‘We’re Watching You’, was based on research which shows people are more likely to let their dog foul in the winter months, when they feel they can’t be seen under cover of darkness.

Cllr Ian Hollidge said: “Evidence from across the country showed this campaign had helped reduce dog fouling, but the results have exceeded our expectations.

“The campaign has helped to reinforce the view held by the vast majority of people that not cleaning up after your dog is a very anti-social act.

“We’re really pleased with the improvement we’ve seen – less dog mess means that our parks, streets and other public places, are cleaner, safer and more attractive for everyone.”

The campaign so far has been aimed at the Undercliffe, Egerton Park and St George’s Road areas of Bexhill, Rye Harbour and Ticehurst, all dog fouling hotspots.