POOP Scoop Week, July 26 to August 1, is a national campaign to say thank you to considerate dog owners and remind the irresponsible ones that dogs cannot pick up after themselves.

West Devon Borough Council, the police and the Dogs Trust are urging dog owners to pick up the poop and help clean up our public spaces for a great summer outdoors.

While the majority of owners are responsible and pick up after their dog, a careless few are still giving dogs a bad name. Each year thousands of complaints are received by local authorities about dog mess littering public footpaths, grass areas and parks.

Recent community consultations found that uncontrolled dogs and dog fouling were among the subjects which cause members of the public the greatest concern.

Irresponsible dog owners letting their dogs leave their poop behind in our parks, on pavements and public spaces, is a problem which the borough council and the police are determined to tackle. Bag it and bin it, is the message. Cleaning up after a dog is simple and the only way of ensuring a summer free from the nuisance of pooch poop.

The bag can then be put in a dog-waste bin or taken home and disposed of in the domestic waste. Wrapped-up dog waste can also be put into a general litter bin if a specific dog-waste bin is not available.