SO incensed are a group of Wootey estate residents by the continuing resistance of some dog owners to pick up after their pets, especially in the area around the school, they have taken matters into their own hands by setting up CCTV surveillance and are taking mobile phone pictures of offenders in a bid to get them served with a fixed-penalty notice.

According to a group spokesman, despite stopping dog walkers to explain that it is an offence to allow your animal to foul the footpath or verge and not pick up after it, which can incur a fine of £50, some people still chose to ignore the advice.

He points out that local folk are still suffering from dog excrement being walked into their homes and into Wootey infant and junior schools, the site for which is surrounded by a public footpath.

The man, who does not want to be named, said there are regular incidents of dog owners walking their animals off the lead, using mobile phones or wearing head phones and listening to music, and not keeping an eye on what their dogs are doing or where they are going.

“Some may not even realise that their dogs have deposited mess which, in itself, is irresponsible,” he said.

“Despite East Hampshire District Council (EHDC) dog wardens allegedly stepping up their patrols in the area, residents are still suffering from this anti-social behaviour.”

At the time of writing to the Alton Herald, he said that only that morning he had picked up one pile of dog mess from the middle of the footpath and a further five piles which were on the grassy area where the children play on the way to and from school.

Furthermore, he claimed that his wife had been verbally abused by an elderly male resident she had confronted for allowing his dogs to foul on the grass. This incident was reported to Hampshire Constabulary and was dealt with by them, despite the offender denying the fact that he had allowed his dog to foul in the area.

The group spokesman added: “The residents have become so incensed with the irresponsible dog owners that they have decided to carry out their own initiative to attempt to stop this happening, advising dog owners about the CCTV that has been put up as temporary measure.”

Furthermore, in recognising that most mobile phones are capable of taking pictures and that most people carry one, he is urging anyone who sees a dog owner failing to pick up after their animal to take a picture and send it to EHDC’s dog warden. This will enable him to try to identify the dog and the owner, with a view to prosecution.

While Wootey’s residents understand that theres is not the only area suffering in this way, with the two schools nearby there is a real fear of children coming into contact and being infected by the bacteria and worms present in dog faeces.

“The effect of catching one of the bacteria or worms can be catastrophic,” he said.

Commenting on the Wootey situation, EHDC animal welfare officer Neil Burton said: “The Animal Welfare Service patrols the district of East Hampshire and we are often in Alton. As part of our patrols we promote responsible animal ownership, which includes dealing with irresponsible dog owners who fail to clear up after their dogs.

“Any irresponsible dog owners witnessed failing to clear up after their dogs will have enforcement action taken against them.

“This can consist of being reported for prosecution in the magistrates’ court or being offered the opportunity to accept a fixed-penalty notice of £50 that has to be paid within 14 days or the offender will be taken to the magistrates’ court where a fine of up to £1,000 may be imposed.”