DOG mess in Launceston always will be an ongoing problem, according to one of the town’s police community support officers.

PCSO Lawrence Hambrook recently took to social media to say he has received several reports of dog fouling in areas including Coronation Park and the Castle grounds, when he has been out on patrol.

He told the Post: “People are always complaining about dog mess as we walk around.

“Most dog owners are pretty good at picking up mess to be fair, it’s the other ones that make it worse for everyone. They take their dogs for a walk, sometimes they don’t notice the dog has done it. Sometimes I have said to people ‘are you going to pick it up?’ It’s an ongoing problem and always will be.”

He said there are dog waste bins in most areas where dogs are walked, and added that ‘it is an offence that carries a fine, but more to the point it is a health hazard’.

He advised: “Please if you see someone not picking up their dog’s waste gently remind them just in case they did not notice what their dog has done.”

Cornwall Council has previously told the Post it has a ‘zero tolerance approach to dog fouling’.

A spokesperson for the authority said: “General waste bins can be used to dispose of bagged dog waste so there are more than sufficient waste bins for dog owners to deposit the poo.

“Members of the public who do not pick up after their dogs face a fine of up to £1,000 or can received a fixed penalty of £80 in order to discharge the offence. To report dog fouling please call 0300 1234 212 or report it via the council’s website www.cornwall.gov.uk/reportit

“The council’s Dog Welfare and Enforcement Service responds to complaints of dog fouling and will investigate. We also undertake pro-active patrols of known fouling hot spots to encourage dog owners to pick up after their pets.

“Whilst we only have a limited number of Dog Welfare and Enforcement Officers, there are a number of other officers who are able to issue fixed penalties (many of which are not uniformed officers) as well as most PCSOs.

“We also provide DEFRA approved training to town and parish council employees to enable and authorise them to issue dog fouling fixed penalty notices.”

Launceston Town Council property manager David James said: “Firstly, our aim is really to educate people and to try to stop dog fouling. We really want to spread the message that anyone can put dog bags into any public litter bin (not just the special dog mess ones). Lots of people don’t know this and justify leaving their dog’s mess on the basis there are no special dog bins in the area.

“In an effort to support people to clear up after their dogs we supply free bio-degradable bags, but we do encourage people to purchase the bags from local businesses.”

The town council is also urging dog owners to refrain from what it describes as another ‘common practice’ — throwing bags of dog mess into hedges.

Mr James added: “When our grounds team undertake grass cutting they frequently experience this disgusting and dangerous phenomenon. It seems that not only do people hide the bags in the hedgerows but often throw them over the boundaries into neighbouring properties.”

Although the town council has an enforcement officer, it said reports of dog fouling must be made to Cornwall Council, and not to the town council.