THEOs tackle dog fouling in response to resident concerns

Tower Hamlets Enforcement Officers (THEOs) are continuing to tackle anti-social behaviour and improve residents’ quality of life, this month targeting irresponsible dog owners across the borough.

Over the past month the THEOs have issued six fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and two warnings to people who refused to clear up after their dogs, during patrols of dog-fouling hotspots carried out in response to residents’ complaints.

Cllr Ohid Ahmed, Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets, said: “The THEOs are carrying out these patrols in direct response to residents’ concerns about dog fouling in their neighbourhoods. The THEOs are honing in on dog owners who don’t clean up after their pets and issuing them with on-the-spot fines.

Cllr Shahed Ali, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “It is totally unacceptable for dog owners to allow their animals to foul our streets, and we are working to tackle this behaviour and ensure a cleaner, safer environment for all residents.”

The THEOs have been patrolling Wilmot Street, Approach Road, Aston Street/Salmon Lane, Kerbey Street, Columbia Road and Grundy Street, in uniform and in plain clothes. They have been engaging with dog owners to encourage them clear up after their animals, and issuing FPNs where owners refuse to comply.

The fixed penalty fine for the offence is £75 but persistent offenders can be taken to court and prosecuted where they risk a fine of up to £1000.

Earlier this year Poplar became the first area of the borough to benefit from a new machine which clears away dog mess and disinfects the pavement. The machine is being operated by Tower Hamlets Council’s ‘Find it, Fix it’ team, which tackles eyesores across the borough.

The THEOs are a uniformed council service formed in September 2009, whose main role is to tackle anti-social behaviour and environmental crime. They work in partnership with the Metropolitan Police and have powers to tackle anti-social behaviour under the Reform Act 2002. They also have authority to issue fixed penalty notices for offences including littering, unlicensed street trading and fly-posting.

To report anti-social behaviour call the Metropolitan police non-emergency number on 101.

March 13, 2012