BARRHEAD dog-owners have been urged to pick up after their pets, even though figures reveal the number of notices issued by wardens has plummeted.

Council figures revealed that penalties on dog fouling issued in East Renfrewshire have dramatically dropped in the past four years.

However, one resident of Stobs Drive, who has complained repeatedly about the problem in her area, said it was getting worse, not better.

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The woman, who did not wish to be named said: “I need two sticks to walk. The only time I go out is when my sister comes to help me go to the shops.

“Every time we leave the house we have to paddle through dog dirt and, with me being disabled, it’s quite an ordeal.

“It’s a disgrace and somebody needs to do something but when I tried speaking to the council and the wardens, I just got cut off. Nobody does their job.

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“What do we have to do to get these irresponsible people to stop leaving their dogs’ dirt?”

Information obtained through a Freedom of Information request by Eaglesham and Waterfoot Community Council shows that 19 notices were given to dog owners in 2015/16 but in 2018/19 the figure dropped to just two.

East Renfrewshire Council officers have been carrying out plain-clothed patrols in the area to tackle where dog fouling is a problem.

It is an offence not to immediately remove dog dirt from any public space and dispose of it in the nearest dog waste bin or litter bin.

East Renfrewshire Council has said its officers have been carrying out plain-clothed patrols in areas where dog fouling is a problem. 

A council spokesperson said: “A range of factors can influence dog owners’ behaviour, with the doubling of the dog-fouling fine in 2016 and targeted high-visibility patrols clearly having an impact.”