MS urges owners to clear up dog mess on pitches as football season begins

Emily Price

A Labour MS is urging dog owners to be responsible and clean up after their animals as the start of new football season gets underway.

After reports last year of sporting fixtures being disrupted, Swansea East MS Mike Hedges has warned of the horrible infections that can be caused as a result of playing on pitches that have dog faeces.

As well as carrying harmful bugs which can lead to asthma and even blindness, many types of worm and bacteria can live in soil long after dog faeces has decomposed.

If even a tiny cut comes into contact with dog mess, horrific injuries can occur and in some serious circumstances limbs have to be amputated.

Infection

The Labour MS says that throughout the summer months, dog owners often walk their pets on pitches before the football season begins at the end of August.

Teams are then faced with pitches that are not safe to play on.

Last year a 15-year-old rugby player developed an abscess as a result of an infection due to coming into contact with dog faeces during a match.

The abscess burst and the young player underwent two operations which included a skin graft as the wound was so deep.

A Senedd petition calling for new legislation to be introduced in Wales to protect sports pitches from dog fouling reached over 2,500 signatures before it closed in March this year.

It is currently being considered by the Senedd’s petitions committee.

Horrible

Mr Hedges said: “With the new football season having started and the rugby season about to start I hope we do not have a repeat of last season with dog mess having to be cleared up from sports fields before matches could be played.

“Each year I hear about local sports fixtures disrupted by the need to deal with dog mess on playing fields. There were instances locally and in other areas of Wales last season where this occurred.

“It is not a good situation for dog mess can cause horrible complications if it enters the body through cuts and causes infections. People playing in sports fixtures should be able to do so without the worry of what is on the grass.

“If you have used playing fields or park areas over the summer when there are no sports being played, please make sure you are not walking your dogs over fields that are now once again in use for football and rugby.

“I would really urge dog owners to be responsible and clean up after their dogs have been to the toilet. I am sure people don’t want to risk the health of children and adults playing sport.”