CRAVEN District Council has finally put its foot down on dog mess.

News that the authority started enforcing the Fouling of Land Act has come as a breath of fresh air to the area's dog warden.

Anthea Chapman has warned 187 owners of fouling dogs in the past year, but has felt helpless without the power to issue penalties.

But from now on she can issue on-the-spot fines of £25 to anyone she catches letting their pooches poop in public.

She said: "It's going to make my job a heck of a lot easier. I can't tell you the amount of times I have seen people blatantly letting their dogs go anywhere.

"Now, hopefully we will start seeing an end to the problem."

Apart from the unpleasant nature of dog fouling, serious consequences can result.

In 1995, 86 children in England and Wales suffered blindness or permanent eye damage as a direct result of dog faeces.

John Shakespeare, the council's environmental services team leader, said: "Over the past year, the council has worked to educate and inform people of the health risks and social unacceptability of leaving dog faeces.

"The new legislation will enable us to issue fixed penalty fines of £25 when an offence is committed, which will act as a further deterrent to irresponsible dog owners who fail to clear up after their pets."

* Signs have gone up in Steeton, Eastburn, Silsden and Addingham warning dog owners they could be faced with a £1,000 fine if they fail to clean up after their pets.

New rules have come into force which mean it is now an offence to allow dogs to foul most footpaths and grass verges, any park, play area or village green.

The large white signs on lamp-posts warn people walking dogs that they are in a dog clean-up zone and it is their responsibility to clear up their pet's mess.

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