Woof justice?

Pooch pooh is just as much of a litter problem as chip wrappers and fag ends dropped in the streets across Lancaster and Morecambe.

And the tiny team of city council dog wardens want owners to act responsibly to help keep the streets and parks clean.

Last year, wardens received 1,051 complaints about doggie disorder and also dealt with 333 stray animals.

The majority of the wandering hounds were reunited with owners or re-homed, but unfortunately if these options are not available, destruction is the only alternative.

And just two wardens and a tiny back-up staff deal with that workload.

"People don't always realise what we do," says dog warden Alison McGowan.

"We cover all the Lancaster council tax area, Lancaster, Morecambe, Tatham, Silver-dale, Leck and Forton. It's quite a big area for a small staff and so it is difficult to catch people."

Much of Alison's work - and that of her colleague Liz Akister - is routine. They send out enforcement notices, offer advice and, if time and resources allow, trawl the streets looking for dog mess. And they also confront aggressive animals.

Stray animals are kept for seven days to give owners time to collect them before being sent to animal charities and, hopefully, found a new home.

The wardens have no problem with matters like that - but they have a big problem with dog mess on the streets.

Alison, a dog owner herself and a warden since 1996, cannot believe that people leave the mess from their pets behind.

"It's easy to clean up after your dog - and most people do it," says Alison.

"It is the small minority of people who don't clean up. There are plenty of dog waste bins about but some people do not seem to want to use them.

"It is bad enough standing in dog mess - but imagine a child rolling in it in a park and getting it all over their clothes. It is not very nice at all and people need to change their attitude and become more responsible."

Fixed penalty fines of £50, a figure soon to hiked to £75, can be handed out and irresponsible owners can also be prosecuted with a maximum fine of £1,000.

The wardens are busier during school holidays.

"Children let the dog out in summer and sometimes forget about it," says Alison.

They try their best to catch out the people who do not clean up after their pets and blight the streets.

But as Alison adds: "We can have a strange job at times.

"We are dog wardens but we have been called out to deal with horses in a graveyard, a peacock and a dead rat next to a litter bin.

"We seem to be the first port of call for people who do not know where to go."

o WHAT do you think? Can more to be done to force dog owners to get their act together and clean up? Call 01524-382121 or e-mail your views to matt.donlan@lancaster.newsquest.co.uk.