“The goal is to show pet owners that their bad behaviour represents a public health hazard”
The local council of Vila Real de Santo António has decided enough is enough: it’s time for dog owners to start picking up their dog’s poop from the ground.
To get its message across, the council has launched a new awareness campaign stressing just how important picking up your pet animal’s poop is and how it can avoid ‘minor to major issues’, from the inconvenience of others stepping on it to serious risks to people’s health.
The campaign’s billboard and posters use “strong and repulsive imagery” which aim to make people realise the importance of always disposing of their animal’s poop.
“The goal is to show pet owners that their bad behaviour represents a public health hazard and that animal waste left on pavements and gardens soils spaces that belong to everyone,” the council said.
“A simple gesture like picking up the waste with a bag, which should be tied and disposed of in the rubbish bin, makes all the difference,” it adds.
Fines for failing to pick up dog poop range from €25 to €7,000, according to the Municipal Regulations of Waste and Urban Cleaning.
The campaign will be promoted online as well as throughout the municipality at public buildings, health centres and schools.
