|
A Burnage man has been ordered to pay more than £200 for letting his Alsatian foul on a public park, following a Manchester City Council prosecution. Raymond Whitehead, aged 43, of Firethorn Avenue was fined £80 and told to pay £123 costs at Manchester Magistrates Court on Wednesday June 25, after pleading guilty to a charge of failing to remove faeces. The total charge of £203 was more than four times what it would have cost him if he had just paid the fixed penalty notice. A City Council dog warden gave Mr Whitehead the fixed penalty notice after seeing him allow his black German shepherd foul on Cringle Fields Park in Burnage on March 14. The notices can be issued by City Council officers as well as by police community support officers and cost £50 if paid within 10 days, rising to £80 if paid later, but Mr Whitehead was taken to court after refusing to pay the fine. The City Council is holding a series of events this week as part of the national poop scoop week campaign, urging Manchester's dog owners to keep the city's public places clean. As well as educational visits to primary schools teaching youngsters about responsible dog ownership, City Council officers are visiting Boggart Hole Clough in Blackley and Didsbury Park encouraging animal lovers to follow the campaign's message - grab it, bag it, bin it. Councillor Paul Andrews, the City Council's Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "This isn't just an anti-social nuisance, it's a serious health risk, particularly to small children who can catch the disease toxocariasis, which can lead to blindness, from dog faeces. "Dog owners have a responsibility to clean up after their animals. Those who refuse to do so have absolutely no excuse, and the City Council will not hesitate to prosecute them." MEDIA CONTACT: Conrad Astley, Press Office, tel:0161 234 4027 |
