Dordogne town gets tougher on dog waste with police help

Fines of up to €750 for a repeat offence of leaving dog mess in public areas are to be put in place in a south-west town as part of a push to beat a problem complained of by both locals and visitors.

The fines will be enforced in Bergerac, Dordogne, from September, after a year in which municipal police gave verbal warnings only.

Read more: The southwestern French town where dog mess could cost owners €750

Dog owners have been helped

“At the same time, we have made a big effort to make things easier for dog owners,” mayor Jonathan Prioleaud said.

“They can get special dog collars with a pocket for plastic bags, there are bins, and we have made fenced off sandpits in parks where people can take their dogs, find bag dispensers and scoop up the mess easily.”

“Unfortunately there are still some individuals who continue to leave their dog waste, so our police will be tracking them and fining them.”

Read more: French town urges dog owners to clean up pet mess with fake €10 notes

Motor-bike vacuum cleaner was not enough

Mr Prioleaud said both tourists and residents had remarked about the problem in their area, though he said it has now already fallen by 40%.

The mairie has a special moto-crotte motor-bike vacuum cleaner which first freezes the waste and then sucks it up but it was not enough to cope.

Related articles

Five things you may not know... about pets in France

How much does it cost to insure a dog in France?

How to raise alarm if you see a pet in distress on your French travels