AN Embsay-with-Eastby parish councillor has decided enough is enough and is declaring war on dog owners who allow their pets to mess in public places.

Coun Trevor Kent is having bright yellow T-shirts made and printed up with the appropriate slogan: Pick up the Pooh (PUP).

"The problem in our village, as well as the district, is getting worse and people just seem to think that as long as there is a bit of grass, then it's alright for their dog to foul it.

"There's one stretch of verge which is covered in dog mess, but there's a dog bin on it which owners are ignoring," he said.

In addition to the T-shirts, Coun Kent has taken several photographs, some with dog mess on them which has been deposited outside residents' homes and not cleared away, and other pictures showing beautiful scenes around the two villages.

He is making these up into posters which will be placed around Embsay and Eastby to try to educate people to clear up after their dogs.

"It is getting worse around here and you can't blame the dogs. You see people watching their pets make a mess and then just walk off. I just feel something has to be done to try and stop it," Coun Kent added.

Parish council clerk Andrew Midgley said the problem was not just with local dog owners.

He said that each morning a woman from outside the village came in her car and parked on the road leading up to the reservoir, let her three dogs out to empty themselves, and then drove away.

"My children walk to school down that lane and there's nothing worse than standing in dog mess," he added.

"It's not very nice either when people wheel through it with pushchairs and then have to fold them up and put them back in the boot of their cars."

At Wharfedale Area Forum held in Cracoe Village Hall this week, chairman of Craven District Council's Community Services Committee Paul English said additional funding had been provided to the dog control service.

The service currently has one full-time dog warden who has to cover the whole of Craven.

"This year an extra £25,000 has been put into the pot to alleviate the problem. This has been achieved through a one per cent increase in the council tax," said Coun English.

"As I have said before, we have an owner problem. There are bags available in several places, shops, council offices, libraries etc, but people need educating more.

"Already the message is being taken into schools and enforcement is being looked at as another deterrent but it is not enough. Last year 10 people were given fixed penalty tickets by the dog warden."

He added that it was difficult getting prosecutions in court because of the reluctance of witnesses to come forward.

He said that in the recent past, just one case had been brought in front of magistrates, but was thrown out through lack of witnesses.

The community services committee has set up a panel of six members to investigate the growing problem of dog mess.

It will look at ways of spending the additional cash which could include funding an extra warden.

In addition it will look at "hot spots" where fouling is particularly bad, as well as looking at whether bins are emptied regularly enough, of even if they are placed in the correct areas.

"We are also going to look at what other councils are doing. There is no point trying to re-invent the wheel if they can give us ideas," said Coun English.

He also urged individuals to be vigilant in watching for offenders and to report them to their local councillor.

Coun Kent said he hoped to get his T-shirts printed up and the posters placed around the village in the very near future, so the message could start to be driven home as soon as possible.