A sign placed at Les Creux in St Brelade – a popular place for dog walkers – is entitled ‘FREE MONEY’ to attract attention, before declaring that those who don’t pick up their pets’ mess, or who do but then leave the bags by the side of the path, are a ‘disgrace to humanity’.
The message adds: ‘Obviously you can’t look after yourself and you shouldn’t be allowed to look after a dog either.’
A photo of the sign was posted on the Jersey Dog Forum’s Facebook page and the comments in response show that the Island still very much has a dog poo problem.
Sandra Geary said: ‘I walked around Queen’s Valley yesterday. It was not so much poo bags, but poo on the path. It really was annoying. As a dog owner I’m really conscious about picking up after my dog and disposing of it [the mess] correctly. But I don’t want to have to pick up after someone else’s dog too.’
Kathy Blood said: ‘Poo bag left at top of steps at West Park beach regularly, Eurobin 20 metres away by burger van!!’
Daisy Fernandes said: ‘So frustrated seeing bags of poo hanging on trees! What is wrong with people… I have to say this sign is brilliant!!’
Meanwhile, Dawn Allchin added: ‘As a dog owner I agree. Lots don’t even bother picking up after their dogs. Some do, then leave it behind… Just put it in a bin.’
And St Saviour Constable Sadie Rennard commented that the sign was ‘brilliant’ and added: ‘I have 25-plus dog poop bins in St Saviour and still we suffer.’
Last year the National Trust for Jersey launched a new education campaign to advise dog owners of their public responsibilities when it comes to picking up after their pets. The trust said that its resources were being stretched by staff having to clean up beauty spots where dog mess was being left.
It is an offence under Jersey law to leave dog mess in the countryside, on beaches and in parks.
According to States statistics there are 7,500 licensed dogs in Jersey and each one is capable of producing roughly 79.5 grams of poo a day – that amounts to a combined total of about 220 tonnes per year.
