Children's Dog Fouling Posters Making a Difference
Press Release dated 24th April
Richmond Dog Fouling campaigns' efforts to "clean up North Barnes" have started making a difference in their local neighbourhood. The posters designed by the children of Lowther Primary School and Castlenau Community Centre have been put up around the North Barnes neighbourhood. Gaurav Mathur, a local resident, commented "The heart touching posters (attached in this mail), designed by our children are helping to change the attitude of dog owners. The children and families of Lowther Primary School have put in sterling efforts to make our local streets cleaner and we are beginning to see the positive results already".
The campaign is gradually being extended to other areas of the Borough with the help of willing volunteers. Becky Lewis, a resident of Mortlake, who has been actively engaging with her local community added "We are receiving great response from residents in our neighbourhood and plan to put up posters designed by children of Barnes Primary School. Residents, schools and businesses are being asked to support the petition against dog fouling in order to reach the target of 1000 signatures by 9th May. We have collected over 700 signatures and need further help so please sign our online petition www.richmond.gov.uk/received_petitions?mgl=mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx&Id=71 or contact us on [email protected] if you want to sign a paper copy"
The petition can be signed by anyone who lives, works or studies in the Borough of Richmond. It says "We, the undersigned, petition the council to introduce an effective 'zero tolerance' policy against littering of dog litter bags and dog fouling; introduce more signage of FPNs; install dog foul bins on or near green grass spaces; issue free dog litter bags; and introduce a major 'enforcement awareness campaign' to inform the public of the consequences of breaking enviro-laws".
More details of the campaign can be found on their Facebook site www.facebook.com/groups/308694949188555/.
Fern Gray, one the local residents and concerned parents that helped launch the initiative said "It is absolutely fabulous at the effect the 'local' campaign has had on our streets but it is imperative that we build on the impact and support other parts of Richmond Borough. This is a nation wide problem and hopefully with all the similar initiatives being supported by local councils the length and breadth of the UK will eventually drive the message home on a national government level that dog fouling legislation needs to be improved and enforced. Only then will it be become as socially and culturally unacceptable as as smoking in restaurants and driving with mobile phones."
Emma Bengtsson, and Carolina Carlsson, both Swedish and live in Barnes with children at local schools commented "We are fed up and disgusted by irresponsible dog owners not cleaning up their dog mess in the parks where our children are playing." They also added " Because unlike a lot of other European countries, there are no indoor/outdoor shoe policies with school and child care facilities, children are bound to take dog mess into schools and public areas on their scooters and bicycles if the streets are not dog mess free".
For more details please email the campaign on [email protected]