Complaints about dog mess and action to be taken to resolve the issue

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WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR TRANSPORT AND TECHNICAL SERVICES BY THE DEPUTY OF ST. JOHN

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 23rd MARCH 2010

Question

"Having received complaints from island residents about dogs' mess on the Island coastal footpaths, the Jardin d'Olivet and the sand dunes, with dog owners often not taking the trouble to pick up and dispose off the waste and others picking up mess but not disposing of plastic bags in an appropriate manner, would the Minister inform members what action, if any, he is taking to deal with the problem?"

Answer

The problem of dogs' mess is an ongoing issue which officers of the departments working in the Island's open spaces find particularly frustrating. Whilst the majority of dog owners are diligent in disposing of dog waste in an appropriate manner there is, unfortunately, a minority who are not.

Officers from both TTS and the Environment Department administer these areas and are continually striving to solve the problem. For example, each spring when dogs are no longer able to run on Jersey's beaches off lead, Environment run a campaign which involves Officers patrolling problem areas, talking to dog owners, putting up posters and distributing dog bags.

Owners who allow their dogs to foul in a public place can be prosecuted under the Policing of Parks (Jersey)

Regulations 2005, The Policing of Roads (Jersey) Regulations 1959 (Revised Edition of Law at 31st August 2004) and the Policing of Beaches (Jersey) Regulations 1959. Whilst these laws are under the administration of various

departments, responsibility for prosecution lies with the Connétable s and their Centeniers.

There is a general view that until there are some prosecutions there will always be people who will not clean up after their dogs.