A COMPLAINT about dog fouling around the Pimple area of Whitchurch Down sparked surprise during a meeting in Tavistock last week.
During the town council's properties committee meeting last Tuesday, members learned that the complainant wanted 'poop scoop' notices and bins erected around the area.
Town clerk Roger Howard said: 'All sorts of animals foul the moor — it had never occurred to us that any form of dog fouling control could be exercised on Dartmoor.'
Cllr Ted Sherrell said he was shocked when he read about the complaint.
Cllr Sherrell said: 'When I first saw this I thought it was an April fool's joke.
'We are not talking about a park for children, this is open moorland — it is absolute nonsense to ask people to pick up after their dog around this area.'
Cllr Brian Trew said: 'That area I try to avoid as I regard it as dog poo meadow.
'People just walk with their dogs for about 100 yards, let their dogs foul and get back in their car. If we put dog bins there, people will just ignore them.'
West Devon Borough Council's dog warden said: 'Current dog fouling legislation in use within West Devon — The Dogs Fouling of Land Act 1996 — does not apply to open moorland/common land.
'However in areas such as The Pimple, which is very popular with dog walkers, the amount of fouling by dogs can be a problem.'
The town council has the power under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to make orders that allow any public land 'open to the air and where the public is permitted' to have a dog control order.
However, the committee was told the council had no officers trained and authorised to police such an order.
Councillors agreed to take no action — their decision was due to be ratified by the full council during its meeting on Tuesday night.