LACK of dog waste bins on land owned by Tavistock Town Council came under focus last week.

Members of the council's properties committee raised concerns last Tuesday (February 24) about the increase of dog poo bags found scattered around Dartmoor and off routes leading from Whitchurch Down and the lack of bins for people to put the dog faeces into.

Cllr John Sellis said that the matter over people leaving dog poo bags around the entrance to the moor from the side of Down Road was getting out of hand.

'The other day there was a bag hanging from the tree at the top of Green Lane above the footpath. I even saw some bags stuffed behind the fire hydrant post on the path from St David's Road. We do need to see more bins around to stop this.'

In October, 2014, Dog Control Orders came into effect, with legislation relating to dog exclusion, dogs on leads, fouling of land by dogs and dogs on leads by direction. The DCOs were introduced by West Devon Borough Council with Tavistock Town Council being one of many consultees.

The increase in people picking up after their dog on Whitchurch Down, land owned by the town council, has also meant an increase in dog poo bags being placed within a grit bin on Green Lane, Tavistock.

A letter from Daphne Williams in the Times on February 12 included a picture of the grit bin which showed it was full of dog poo bags.

'It's great knowing that dog walkers are picking up after their dogs while walking on the moor, but the shame of it, not taking them home but putting them into the sand bin at the top of Green Lane.

'How about we have a dog muck bin put alongside the sand one and also one on the path from the moor?'

West Devon Borough Council has decided to place a litter bin on Green Lane to tackle an already existing issue over litter, but advise people that they can place the bags of faeces within the litter bin.

Murray Cowley, the council's dog warden, said: 'People sometimes think they have to wait to find a dedicated dog poo bin, but it is perfectly fine to put dog waste into a normal litter bin as long as it is bagged.

'It is an approach supported by the Tidy Britain Campaign following research that suggests some people are leaving bagged dog poo behind rather than disposing of it properly.

'When litter bins do need replacing across West Devon, West Devon Borough Council is now routinely ordering ones with a dual purpose sign to make this more clear.

'The message is any bin will do as long as it is bagged. There really is no excuse for leaving dog mess behind.'