Landowners warn about the dangers of leaving dog muck around animals

Posters are being displayed in popular dog walking areas to try and raise awareness.

North West Leicestershire District Council (NWLDC), farmers and landowners are raising awareness of the parasite Neospora, which causes abortions in livestock.

Cattle and sheep can abort their young after coming into contact with Neospora which is found in dog faeces.

NWLDC is working with farmers to educate dog walkers about the importance of bagging and binning dog muck at all times, even in the most rural countryside.

Farmer John Newbold grazes around 75 cows on the 340 acres of Mickleover Farm in Belton.

He has added a number of Bag it, Bin it posters to the public rights of way across his land to encourage dog walkers to pick up after their pets.

He said: “I’m happy to put the signs up, I’ve had dogs almost all of my life and we have a lot of walkers using some of the paths.”

Walkers that aren't able to prove they can pick up their dog's poo or failing to pick up dog poo is punishable by a £100 on-the-spot fine.

Councillor Andrew Woodman, NWLDC Portfolio Holder for Community Services, added: “The district is full of fantastic areas for dog walking, and we want to continue to ensure it remains enjoyable for everyone.

“Poo bags are essential supplies for any dog owner, so please remember to take them with you and use them; even if you’re in a field or woodland area it’s important to remove all traces of you being there as dog faeces poses health risks to livestock.

“We’ve recently added a four-legged friend to our family so I’m enjoying exploring dog-walking hotspots and ensuring that if the dog does mess that I bag it and bin it.”