Michael Fabricant and Labour MP Bob Blizzard forced a climb down by the
Government in Parliament today (4th April) when a Government Minister (Alun
Michael) conceded in the Commons that the law must be changed and that fines
charged by local councils for dog fouling of pavements and grass areas can
be kept in future by councils for the employment of more dog wardens. In
the past, any fines money collected was handed straight back to the Treasury
in Whitehall.

Michael Fabricant told the Commons "We have two dog wardens in Lichfield
District. They do their best with training schemes and enforcement, but
muck on streets and in green areas tell their own story. Lichfield District
is cleaner than most, but nationally, 1000 tons of dogs mess is deposited
each day and it costs £450 million a year to clean it up. But this doesn’t
include the cost to the nation and our health service through disease caught
from dogs dirt. In the worst case, young children have been blinded by
infections from this mess.

"This legislation is not anti-dog nor is it anti-dog owner. It will,
however, penalise irresponsible dog owners. It will enable councils to
have the resources for the very first time to enforce existing laws which
forbid the fouling of our land by dogs. I hope that once the law is finally
passed in Parliament, Lichfield District Council and other authorities will
invest in more dog wardens".

Michael previously raised this in Parliament on the 14th January. See News
Release of 14th January
http://www.michael.fabricant.mp.co.uk/news-00254.ihtml