Night vision goggles used to catch dog owners who don't pick up after pets
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A new weapon is being used in the fight to reduce dog mess in Stafford.
The Borough Council is introducing night vision goggles to identify inconsiderate owners on fields and football pitches which would normally be difficult to see during the dark mornings and evenings.
It is the latest in a series of initiatives run by the council - with its information ‘reward’ scheme attracting national publicity as well as interest from other councils across the country.
The authority also teamed up with the local football league and Staffordshire FA to clampdown on dog fouling on soccer pitches and joined forces with the village of Weston near Stafford to make it the first in the country to be dog poo free.
Councillor Frank Finlay, Cabinet member for Environment and Health, said: “We have had tremendous support from the community for our efforts to get rid of this disgusting crime - especially from responsible dog owners who are sick and tired of their inconsiderate counterparts giving them all a bad name.
“We target hot spots from information we get from our residents but with the darker morning and early evenings it is difficult to catch someone who is not cleaning up.
“These night vision goggles will help us overcome this problem and let people know that, even under the cover of darkness, they cannot get away with showing blatant disregard to their fellow citizens.”
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