Time to pay up for dog poo bags, village council tells pet owners

DOG owners in a Teesdale village are being asked to meet the escalating bill for cleaning up after their pets.
Middleton-in-Teesdale Parish Council has spent more than £600 this year supplying free dog poo bags in the village.
As parish councillors noted that £387 had been spent on the latest batch, Cllr Wendy Greenfield asked: “Why is the council paying for dog owners to pick up after their dogs?
“If they have dogs, they should be paying for bags. Is this a good use of the precept?
“I understand that we are encouraging people – and more people are using them – but you get to a point where you say they have a responsibility for their dogs.”
Currently, dog poo bags are freely available from the Utass office, in Chapter Row.
Cllr Adam Hearn wondered what the cost of cleaning the streets would be if the free service was withdrawn and there was an increase in dog mess as a result.
Cllr John Boocock said providing free bags for dog mess worked out at about £6 a day.
“I think £6 per day is fine, but we could ask people to give a donation.”
He said prior to moving to Middleton-in-Teesdale, he had always paid for his own dog poo bags.
“It’s only here that you get them for free and the fact I get them for free is a bit of a benefit.
“The bags we provide are the best you can buy. They are biodegradable, strong, the right size and I have never had one fail on me. I would give a donation every time,” added Cllr Boocock.
The meeting was told dog owners were given 25 bags at a time.
Cllr Hearn proposed asking people to donate towards the cost of the bags when picking them up from Utass and this was seconded by Cllr Greenfield.

PERSERVERANCE was the message for Barnard Castle in the ongoing battle against ignorant dog owners.
Town councillors heard how a fresh batch of 6,000 poop scoop bags will replenish stocks at a cost of £120.
The bags are free to collect from the police station, at Bede Kirk, and the town council offices, at Woodleigh.
But chairman of the services committee, Cllr Roger Peat, asked his colleagues if any of the measures were having an effect.
Cllr John Yarker added: “I see a lot of dog poo at the top of town – some people are responsible, others just kick it to the side of the road.
“I think we have got to do it otherwise it will just get worse.”
Deputy clerk Jane Woodward said the bags up at the police station had been used regularly.
Residents can report dog fouling incidents online at www.durham.gov.uk/dog fouling.