BE WARNED — Hatherleigh residents failing to heed advice and scoop up their dogs' deposits in the churchyard will be named and shamed in the parish newsletter.
The problem has been going on for longer than a year now and church treasurer Brian Waddingham has had enough!
'The small number of people who let their dogs foul in the churchyard make it very unpleasant for everyone else,' he said.
'It is very inconsiderate because it does not take much to walk along with a polythene bag and do away with the dog mess.'
Mr Waddingham said caretaker Sam Fulford did a wonderful job in keeping the churchyard 'so beautiful' and the continuing problem was very frustrating for him.
'It is horrible to find dog mess going around in the mower or being spread around by the strimmer,' he said.
'We have made sufficient appeals and now if these people caught not clearing up after their dogs they will be named and shamed.
He added it was an indictable offence to allow dogs to foul on the highway so why should it not be the same in the churchyard.
The church treasurer said notices urging dog owners to be more considerate had been ripped down by vandals but he was not going to give up.
'I hope this makes people more aware of just how serious we are taking this problem,' he added.