‘Clean up after your dogs or face action’

Navi Mumbai: The civic health department has prepared posters to spread awareness about the harm caused if owners don't clean up after their pets. They want to prompt dog owners to collect their pets' poop.

"The posters will give an insight into the reasons for emphasizing on owners picking up their pets' poop," said an official from the civic health department.

The civic officials said that if dog poop gets mixed with rainwater, it can spread diseases like dysentery, cholera, leptospirosis and worm infections. Animals sniffing around the poop can catch diseases like canine distemper, hookworm, whipworm.

The civic administration will also take stringent measures against owners failing to scoop up their pets' poop. The administration has also coined catchy slogans to drive in the message. Slogans such as 'Your Dog, Your Responsibility' and 'Keep the Pet but Clean its Waste' will put up to spread awareness.

Posters will be put up in areas frequented by pet owners. "We expect owners to take measures to keep city clean by picking up their pet's poop after we launch the initiative," said a civic official.

He added that they will start the process of penalizing such owners but they want to create awareness about the hygiene aspect first. The official also said they are seeking permissions from the administration to give a medical officer of health the rights to penalize owners who don't clean up after their pets.

"We are already processing the paper work to make it binding on the owners to ensure that their pets don't dirty public places. But, first, we want the owners to understand the purpose of asking them to do so. The notices explain the health hazards that can result from poop lying around," said the official.

He added that NMMC has decided at to levy a fine of Rs 250 on owners who do not clean up after their pets. "The fine will be levied by the anti-nuisance squad," he said. —Sameera Kapoor Munshi