Children Lead Tywyn Environmental Awareness Campaign

Pupils at Ysgol Penybryn, Tywyn, recently decided to lead an environmental campaign to raise awareness of the dog fouling problem in their community. The children felt concerned following complaints from members of the public of dog fouling on the Promenade in Tywyn as well as at Pont Dysynni, a popular area for dog walkers in the area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The children of Penybryn, Tywyn, designed colourful posters to raise awareness of dog fouling in Tywyn and wrote motivational messages such as, “Bag it and bin it!” to try to tackle the dog fouling problem before they were put up across Tywyn. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tidy Towns Officer, Jonathan Gwyn Neale, said: ‘The children’s campaign in Tywyn is a prime example of Tidy Towns’ ability to empower the most vulnerable in our community to take action to improve their local environment. Their colourful poster designs were excellent and I am very pleased with how they look around the town and at Pont Dysynni.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Cabinet Member for the Environment, Councillor John Wynn Jones, said: ‘Gwynedd’s schoolchildren are leading the way with their efforts to improve the local environment. Their Tidy Towns awareness campaigns show that children are telling us what kind of environment they want to see. I congratulate the pupils at Ysgol Penybryn for their excellent efforts.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

On behalf of the children, Deputy Headmistress Ellyw Evans, said: ‘The children believed strongly that there was a dogfouling problem in the town. We hope that these posters will make a large difference in trying to persuade those responsible to think again before not picking up their dogs’ waste in public areas. The children will be conducting a survey before long to see what affect their posters have had.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Toxicariasis ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Many dogs are infected with parasites which can be harmful to people, especially children. Toxocariasis is a disease caused when the eggs of toxocara worms are transferred from dogs to people through infected dog mess or soil. Infection can lead to illness and even blindness. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In Gwynedd it is a criminal offence to take a dog onto designated children’s play areas, school grounds, sports pitches and certain beaches (April-September) or to allow your dog to foul any public space. Offenders are liable to receive a £100 fixed penalty, with failure to pay potentially leading to a court summons and a fine of up to £1,000. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To report any dog fouling issue, call the Street Enforcement team on 01766 771000 or email streetenforcment@gwynedd.gov.uk. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tidy Towns is funded by a grant from the Welsh Government with the aim of improving the quality of the local environment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​