THE habits of many dog owners have changed quite radically over the past few years.

They carry plastic bags with them and clear up after their pets which foul paths and parks, making use of the dog waste bins that are scattered around East Lancashire.

It has taken publicity campaigns highlighting health risks, the threat of heavy fines and court action as well as strong public disapproval to persuade a lot of them to mend their ways and become more responsible.

But there are still some people who totally fail to accept their responsibilities as dog owners and allow animals to run wild in parks and spoil them for others.

Now Hyndburn Council is urging residents to phone in and report owners who don't clean up after their pets and use the 150 dog waste bins in the borough.

Their zero tolerance approach was launched after a petition from a group of college students, some of them visually impaired and others wheelchair bound, who had to leave Peel Park in Accrington.

They were appalled by the amount of fouling and some students even got dog excrement on their hands.

The council's environmental health officer said a lot of the fouling took place late at night or early in the morning "when people think they can't be seen."

The sooner they are made to realise that cleaning up after their dogs isn't a game but a serious obligation the better.