Anti-littering campaign, ‘Don’t Poop and Run’ is reminding dog owners that they should always responsibly bag and bin their dog poo. The campaign also raises awareness that bagged dog poo can be disposed of in any public waste bin – not just in specific red, dog waste bins.

Sophie Colley from Litter Free Dorset said, “Stepping in dog poo definitely isn’t funny, however we do hope that through humour we can attract people’s attention and change littering behaviour. The tagline ‘Don’t Poop and Run’ is a take on urban slang ‘Grab and Run’ and the hashtag ‘Bag it Bin it’ gives a simple call to action.”

Not only is dog poo a pain to clean off shoes, wheels and bare feet, it contains harmful bacteria that if not bagged and binned, can cause illness and disease, affecting other dogs, grazing animals and people. Although rare, this can result in very serious consequences, causing blindness in people, and loss of unborn young in other dogs and livestock, often cattle.

Water quality is also impacted by the bacteria found in dog poo, causing river and sea users, such as swimmers, paddleboarders and kayakers to become very ill after being exposed to the bacteria.

Tossed dog poo bags do not only contribute to plastic pollution, but the bags can also be mistaken as food by animals and livestock, causing choking, blockages and ultimately death.

Alongside the joint social media campaign, Litter Free Dorset have installed signs at dog poo hotspots in Dorchester and Weymouth to reduce incidents of dog fouling.

Follow the campaign via social media @LitterFreeDrst @LitterFreeCoastandSea

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