Enforcement campaign to collar offenders is working well say environmental health team

A GET tough campaign to keep Seaton’s holiday beaches free from dogs has been declared a howling success.

East Devon District Council’s environmental health team says it is delighted with the results of its summer enforcement campaign.

After stepping up patrols, both uniformed and plain clothes officers reported that at the beaches in Seaton and Beer the majority of holidaymakers and residents have been paying attention to the seasonal dog ban areas.

An official told The Herald that a few warnings had been handed out to dog walkers who had inadvertently strayed into banned areas, and just 10 fixed penalty notices had been served this summer, with the majority of these for dog fouling offences.

The spokesman added “The restricted areas are clearly signed and any faded or damaged signs are being replaced as necessary.

“We still have many areas where dogs are welcome and visitors who are unsure about where they may take their dogs onto the beach are strongly advised to check the signs or our website before taking their dogs onto the beach. We are always happy to give advice to holiday-makers with dogs about the best areas to visit.”

Regular patrols will continue throughout the year and residents are being reminded that all year round it is an offence to fail to pick up after their dog.

For more information on the area covered by the dog ban visit: http://www.eastdevon.gov.uk/dog_ban_area