Dog Fouling 'Bag and Flag' Events

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The Dog Warden Service work with the Community Safety Partnership to run responsible dog ownership campaigns around dog fouling hotspots.  These events are highly effective at raising the profile of fouling in a local area and shame irresponsible dog owners into picking up. Events are targeted at well used large open spaces that have a history of complaints. Volunteer Officers bag all the fouling and leave a flag next to each bag. We then leave the bags and flags where they were found and stay on site giving advice and free bags to any local dog walkers. Finally we remove the bags leaving the area free of dog fouling.​

Hotspot areas covered

Butler Road Recreation Ground (Sept 2010) 521 deposits collected over two days, 13 within a Children's Play Area​	Butler Road Recreation Ground (Oct 2010) 112 deposits collected, none within the Children's Play Area​
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Great Ouseburn (Feb 2011) 200 deposits collected by volunteers from Great Ouseburn Parish Council​	Hell Wath, Ripon (March 2011) 225 deposits cleared off the playing fields and 2 dog walkers witnessed not picking up and issued with £50 fixed penalty notices​
​	July 2011 the Dog Control Service spent a full day patrolling Pateley Bridge Millennium Green. The green was clear of fouling and 16 dog walkers were witnessed cleaning up.  Thank you to those using the field but we continue to patrol as information gathered show that a small minority are not picking up near the entrance to the green.​
On 29 June 2011, 86 piles of dog poo were bagged and flagged at Quarry Moor Nature Reserve.  A follow-up patrol led to two offenders receiving £50 fixed penalty notice.​
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September 2011 Woodfield Park Harrogate officers bagged and flagged 71 deposits (41 fewer than the previous year) and  issued a fixed penalty notice on a dog walker failing to pick up.  Patrols will continue but thank you to those who are picking up	On the 22 March at Pan Handle Recreation Ground Hookstone Chase Harrogate, 93 dog poo piles were bagged and flagged. In the afternoon a dog walker who failed to pick up because he was not paying attention to his dog when it fouled, received a £50 fine                                                                            ​

 
How can I help ?
In order to make full use of the flags, we have successfully trialed a community 'bag and flag' event, with the assistance of Great Ouseburn Parish Council. We are now keen to expand these events to other local groups such as Parish Councils, Sports Clubs and Environmental Clubs. We provide free loan of flags along with a supply of bags, dog fouling leaflets and posters.  All we ask is that you undertake your own local publicity and provide us with details of how the event went along with photographs. We will add this to our hotspot areas covered.

Contact us
If your group would be interested in volunteering for such an event please contact the Dog Warden Service and give brief details of the proposed event.