Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Town Council needs ‘Poo Fighters’

Burnham on Sea and Highbridge Town Council needs ‘Poo Fighters’

Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Town Council recognises that there are continuing problems with dog fouling in the towns. With the nights drawing in and the seasonal dog bans on the beaches lifting there is always an increase in dog fouling on the streets and along the beach compared to the summer months.

The Town Council is working with Litter Free Coast and Sea Somerset to launch a new campaign through the month of November to draw attention to the fact that dog fouling is completely unacceptable, whether it happens during the day or after dark.

The key messages will focus on ‘no matter the size of your dog, place or time of day, always pick up’ and #BagItBinIt. Judging what is socially and environmentally acceptable to do with your dog’s faeces can be a bit of minefield so Litter Free Coast and Sea have debunked some of the myths and simplified everything…

Myth:Did you know…
As long as it’s not on the path its ok so I just stick it and flick it if it’s on the path…Life’s too short to always stick to paths…especially for adventurous kiddies! Dog poo on pram wheels and in shoes is not fun. Dog faeces can seriously impact on local farm animals which may be grazing in fields with public footpaths running through them. Bacteria contained in faeces can cause cattle to abort. Importantly neospora oocysts which is found in dog faeces can last on the ground for long periods of time so even if there isn’t cattle in the field until later in the year, the neospora could still affect them.  Sadly, once a cow has been infected they will remain infected for life so all future calves they have are likely to abort.
‘It’s fine to leave it because it will just wash away when it next rains’.“Away” actually means that it is likely to reach our local rivers and seas in this case. Dog faeces is very high in bacteria and local sea swimmers, paddleboarders and paddlers will not want to splash around with floaters that could make them very sick.
‘You can leave it on the beach – the tide will wash it “away”’.See above – same logic applies
‘There is cow and sheep poo all over the countryside, what is the big deal about dog poo?’Cows and sheep are herbivores so their poo is broken-down plant matter, a bit like compost whereas dogs’ diets contain processed meats and fish products. You wouldn’t want to spread dog poo on your allotment!   Dog poo can contain a whole host of nasty bacteria including: Neospora GiardiaSalmonellaLeptospiraE. coliParvovirusRoundworm – which causes Toxocariasis infection   Find out more about what these infectious critters could mean for you:   https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/toxocariasis/
‘Dog poo can only go in dog poo bins so when I can’t see a red bin, I prefer to toss it into the hedge to biodegrade rather than just carry the bag around with me’You can put bagged dog mess in any bin – but if there is no bin in sight, it is your responsibility as a dog walker to take the package home with you for disposal. Dangling dog poos from hedgerows don’t biodegrade. They are unsightly, may be mistaken for food by foraging animals and can be eaten – posing choking risks to a whole host of unsuspecting animals.   Just remember, any bin will do!

The key messages will focus on ‘no matter the size of your dog, place or time of day, always pick up’ and #BagItBinIt.

In a bid to tackle this problem, we are asking for volunteers to become ‘poo fighters’ and to work in collaboration with the town council and Litter Free Coast and Sea to undertake ground stencilling & survey work within Burnham.

Little dog posing by dog bin

Photo: ‘Sir Jack Spratticus’ supporter of the campaign permission given by his owner

If you would like to become a poo fighter or would like to tell us where dog poo is a particular problem in Burnham, please email info@burnham-highbridge-tc.gov.uk or visit our website www.burnham-highbridge-tc.gov.uk for further information.

The Council is keen to support dog owners to deal with dog waste in the correct manner by providing dog dedicated dog bins, although ordinary litter bins can be used for disposal of bagged waste. The council also provides free biodegradable bags to the public from a number of locations in the towns.  

Little dog sat on top of a litter/dog waste bin

Photo: local dog celebrity ‘Sir Jack Spratticus’ permission kindly given by his owner in support of this campaign.

Other News

Town Council Reception Closure

Reception will be closed from 12.30 pm tomorrow (Tuesday) lunchtime until Wednesday morning, however, urgent emails/telephone calls will be responded to as soon as possible.

Mayors Fabulous Fundraiser for the RNLI

On Tuesday evening, 3rd December, a generous crowd attended the Princess Theatreand Arts Centre for the Mayor of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge, Councillor SharonPerry’s, fundraiser event for the RNLI.The evening began with a welcome drink before

Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’

Somerset households struggling to pay their bills and keep warm during the colder months could be eligible for help with everyday essentials, such as food, water and energy costs. Somerset Council’s ‘Help Through Winter’ campaign

Categories

Categories

Archives

Archives

Newsletter

Have our newsletter delivered direct to your inbox.

Be the first to hear our latest news.

Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Council Logo

Thank You

Please check your inbox for any email verifications to ensure you complete the signup process.

Records Retention Schedule

Financial Risk Management Policy - March 2023

Grant Application Kings Coronation Form

The Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III will take place on Saturday 6th May 2023, with an additional bank holiday on Monday 8th May 2023.

We are keen to hear from groups/organisations in Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge that are looking to celebrate the Coronation. The Town Council has £1500 available to allocate to events being organised to celebrate the Kings Coronation. The maximum grant to be allocated per event will be £500.

You must meet the following criteria for your application to be considered:

– The event will be open to all members of the public

– The event will be free of charge

– The event will take place within the Coronation weekend

– The event will take place within Burnham on Sea or Highbridge

 

Applications will close on Monday 6th March at midday. 

Your organisation and contact details

What happens next....
Applications will be considered at the Finance and Resources Committee Meeting on Monday 13th March 2023. You will be notified after this date whether your application has been successful.
Burnham & Highbridge Town Council takes your privacy seriously and will only use your personal information for the purposes of contacting you about this grant. The Council’s privacy notice can be found here.

We use cookies to help make this site better. Read more about our cookie policy.

Skip to content