Kirriemuir is the latest Angus community to take its irresponsible dog owners to task.
Dog fouling has once again dominated a meeting of the town’s community council and a leading figure has said it is time to take an even tougher line against the minority whose law-breaking is turning local beauty spots into no-go areas for families and visitors.
The latest focus for Kirriemuir anger is the popular play area and open space around the Hill, including the pavilion housing the Camera Obscura gifted to the town by Peter Pan author Sir JM Barrie in 1930.
A path leading from the top of the Roods to the Hill has been declared Kirrie’s dog poo blackspot and Councillor Ronnie Proctor has called on the community to shame owners who let their pets foul.
“This is a problem which affects every street in every town, but this is a very popular path and it seems to be particularly prevalent there,” he said.
A community council meeting heard a report that more than 40 piles of mess had been counted along the route of the path.
“It’s obviously a popular route with dog walkers, but this path is also used by lots of children and if some little kid falls in it, or even worse picks it up, you never know what might happen. It’s a health risk.”
He added: “Time and again this issue comes up, at the community council and other groups like parent councils.
“Throughout the community people are against it, but there are finite resources available to deal with it.
“I have spoken to council officers and the dog wardens and police are aware of it, and do what they can. They can blitz a particular place, like this path, and it works for a while, but then it just comes back again.”
Mr Proctor added: “We’ve got to try and get the message out to people that they can play a part in getting rid of this problem.
“It doesn’t necessarily mean confronting people if they see them letting their dog foul. They can take a note of the time and place, and if they know where the person lives can report it to the police.
“They can then visit the owner, give them a warning and if it happens again they will be prosecuted.”
He continued: “A lot of money has been spent on the play area at the Hill and there will also be more support going towards the pavilion and Camera Obscura to maximise its potential as a tourist attraction.
“And just last week Kirrie got the news that £645,000 is being made available to regenerate historic buildings in the town centre, so a lot of money and effort is going into taking the town forward.
“What we don’t want is to have all that time, money and effort being ruined by a few thoughtless people.
“It’s a minority which is responsible for this problem and I hope people in the town will do what they can to help identify them to the authorities.”
The call follows a fresh Forfar offensive against the problem being led by a primary school youngster.
Whitehills Primary pupil Sophie-Ann Robson made a personal plea to the latest meeting of Forfar Community Council over the issue, which has agreed to support her idea of a poster campaign involving youngsters across the town.