Residents in Drefach Felindre urged to help council catch dog mess offenders

Residents in Drefach Felindre are being urged to help the council catch dog owners who are failing to clean up after their pets.
Environmental enforcement officers are also stepping up patrols following concerns raised by villagers about the amount of dog mess on the streets.
Anyone caught failing to pick up after their dog can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75 or face prosecution in court where the maximum fine is £1,000.
Leaflets have been distributed in the village to help educate dog owners and encourage them to be responsible.
Enforcement officers have also met with the local member and concerned residents and the problem has been raised at local PACT meetings.
It is believed the problem is being caused by a minority of irresponsible dog owners that live locally.
Although officers will be carrying out patrols, they are appealing to residents with any information which may help to catch offenders to come forward under the ‘Dog Watch’ scheme.
Local people often know who the offenders are, and can help tackle the problem of dog fouling in their area, by reporting them to the council.
Enforcement officers can then follow up reported offences and use the information to target areas accordingly.
It could include certain of times of day or descriptions of individuals and/or their dogs. The information can be given in the strictest confidence.
Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “The majority of dog owners take their responsibilities seriously, but unfortunately there is a small minority who do not listen.
“Dog mess left anywhere can have serious health implications and residents in Drefach Felindre are very concerned about the issue.
“One of the main reasons that dog owners don't clear up after their dog is because they think there is not a council officer watching. However, if the message gets out that the general public can take direct action to report offences, dog owners are far more likely to behave responsibly.”
Residents can report offences either by completing the online form or by calling Carmarthenshire Direct on 01267 234567.