A letter from an eight-year old girl, Lucie Medhurst, has led to positive action being taken to tackle dog fouling at a local beauty spot. Lucie, from Penrhyn-coch, wrote the heartfelt letter to Ceredigion County Council expressing her concern about the extent of the problem at nearby Gogerddan woods.
Lucie wrote, ‘I have found that lots of people are not collecting up their dog poo in Gogerddan woods but some people are collecting their poo but leaving it on the path because there are no bins’.
The council contacted Natural Resources Wales, who manage the site, to see what could be done to help improve the situation. From this, new signs promoting positive and responsible behaviours to dog owners have been put up in the woods.
Dafydd Edwards, Cabinet Member with responsibility for Highways and Environmental Services said, “Dog fouling, unfortunately, is an increasing problem. Ceredigion County Council will prosecute dog owners that do not clean up after their dogs if sufficient evidence is provided. I wish that all dog owners would take heed of this young girl’s concern. It’s extremely commendable for an eight-year old to take the initiative and time to write a letter to the council on something she feels very strongly about. This kind of action supports our ethos of ‘Caru Ceredigion’; that inspiring and adopting positive behaviours and attitudes is something we can all do. We can all work together to tackle issues affecting our local environment.”
The new signs at the Bow Street entrance of Gogerddan woods remind people to clean up after their dog by bagging the waste and taking it away.
Jim Ralph, Operations Team Leader for Ceredigion, Natural Resources Wales said, “We’re proud to look after sites like Gogerddan Woods which help more people get outdoors and enjoy the beauty of the natural environment.
“It’s great to see young people being so enthusiastic about this special place and helping us look after it so more people can come and enjoy the forest. We’re happy to help encourage people to clean up after their dog.”
10/01/2019