14 DAY TRIAL // After having enough of pet poop all over town, the Stafford Council decided to encourage those who report the inconsiderate pet owners by offering them part of the fines taken from dog-fouling offenses.
Residents who will report dog owners that don't clean after their pets will receive $122 (€90) from the fine paid by the irresponsible locals. The Council hopes this kind of initiative will determine people to be more responsible when it comes to keeping the town clean from dog poop.
Officials stated that anyone who provides real information about the dog-fouling offenses will receive a fixed amount of money after the fine is charged. Some residents have opposed the policy but most of the locals agree with this kind of measures meant to keep their ground clean.
“It is right that a community-minded resident, who helps us crack down on something that is not only disgusting but can have serious health repercussions, should be rewarded – and it is the inconsiderate dog-owner who should pay,” Frank Finlay, cabinet member for environment and health said, according to Daily Mail.
The cleaning cost officials have from removing the dog excrement is huge, taking into consideration the fact that the dog population has grown tremendously in the last few years. Besides the money issue, a lot of residents are bothered by the disgusting findings spread all over parks and other public places in the city.
Dog excrement is a health hazard and, with its big levels of toxicity, it can cause diseases or infections for the unaware citizens. The contact with dog feces can lead to all kinds of parasites attacking the human body.
Similar campaigns have been organized in other cities encouraging residents to report the ones who don't take into consideration the other locals' well-being. Some councilors even agreed to paying the rewards from their own pockets just to make parks and streets cleaner and safer.
One of the first initiatives of this kind was “Conviction Reward Scheme” from North London in 2009 where residents were given up to $800 (€600) for reporting dog-fouling offenses.