Children from Culvers House Primary School have joined a campaign to persuade dog owners to take responsibility for their pets.

Pupils have designed posters to encourage owners to pick up after their pets which are being displayed near the school in a bid to keep the area free of dog mess.

Headteacher, Robert Eyre-Brook, said: “The children take great pride in their school and local environment and it upsets them if others don’t respect it. They are really looking forward to seeing their artwork and their messages displayed for the public to see.”

It is a particularly important campaign because the common bacteria in dog mess can present a risk to children’s health, causing illness and blindness.

Councillor Colin Hall, executive member for environment and climate change on Sutton Council, said: “Dog fouling is unhygienic, anti-social and can be a serious health threat. It can be particularly dangerous for children, so I’m shocked that some people think that it’s acceptable to leave dog mess in areas visited by youngsters.

“There’s no excuse for leaving dog mess littering public areas. Most owners are responsible and pick up after their pets, but there’s a small minority who still let their animals use our parks and pavements as a sewer. I hope that the new posters will make these selfish dog owners think twice.”

Dog fouling is a crime and anyone who fails to clear up after their dog in a public place can be given a fixed penalty notice of £50 or fined up to £1,000 if they refuse to pay.

If you know someone who regularly fails to clean up after their dog, let the council know on 020 8770 5070. For more information, visit: sutton.gov.uk/environmentalhealth.