Schools across Rhondda Cynon Taf are supporting the Council’s latest campaign that aims to make irresponsible dog owners ‘SIT’ up and take notice!
Following the success that the ‘NO DOG FOULING’ and ‘NO DOGS ON PITCHES’ stencil campaign is having across the County Borough, schools in RCT have reached out to the Council’s Streetcare team and asked for the messages to be displayed in and around their school grounds.
Glenboi and Darren Las Primary Schools, in Mountain Ash, Ynyshir Primary School, in Porth and Gwauncelyn Primary School, in Tonteg were all keen to highlight their support in the hope that it may help clean up the areas around their schools!
The message ‘NO DOGS’ can now be seen at the entrance and exit point of school grounds to remind visitors that their furry friends should remain outside the school at all times! Failure to follow these rules will result in a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
The simple messages are part of the overall campaign to take action to crack down on those who ignore the rules set out in the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), in Rhondda Cynon Taf.
- One of the rules highlighted in the PSPO is that Dogs are BANNED from all schools, children’s play areas and marked sports pitches maintained by the Council.
This rule is often ignored, with some irresponsible dog owners trying to bring their pets on to school grounds – and whilst, most people love their furry friends, not all children may feel the same. In addition to this, you never know when they need to ‘go’ and despite picking it up, it can still leave behind residue that could lead to infection if a child was to fall near it.
Dog waste is not only unsightly and messy, but it can also have serious health implications for children and adults alike, including toxocariasis.
Toxocariasis is an infection of the roundworm toxocara canis. The parasites eggs can be found in soil or sand contaminated with faeces and if swallowed, result in infection that lasts between six and 24 months or sometimes a lifetime. Symptoms include eye disorders, blindness, vague ache, dizziness, nausea, asthma and epileptic fits.
The Enforcement team have increased their patrols in hot spot areas across the County Borough and in the last year the Council has issued over 1030 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) – to those who have been caught littering, fly-tipping, breaking the PSPO and failing to control their waste in Rhondda Cynon Taf. All the revenue generated from the FPNs is invested back in frontline services to further improve our County Borough and respond to the priority issues our residents have identified.
Councillor Ann Crimmings, Cabinet Member for Environment, Leisure & Heritage Services, said:
“It is great that this latest campaign is helping raise the awareness in schools and I’m pleased to see the schools supporting these messages. It is hoped that they will act as a reminder to clean up after your dog and to follow the rules in the PSPO. We have lots of responsible dog owners across RCT and we know that they won’t need any reminding – but there are still a few out there that may need a gentle, clear reminder to bag it and bin it and to not let their dogs walk on pitches, enter school grounds or play areas.
“If an irresponsible dog owner ignores these messages and is found breaching the rules of the PSPO we will take action and issue a £100 fine. The PSPO rules were introduced after residents told the Council they wanted to see action taken to tackle irresponsible dog owners – including areas such as schools, play areas used by children and marked pitches where residents enjoy playing sports.
“The Council would rather see a clean County Borough and dog walkers acting responsibly rather than issue fines – which could have easily been avoided if we follow the clear messages, follow the rules and act responsibly – they are there to protect everyone who want to enjoy our beautiful County Borough.”
