Inconsiderate pet owners are a concern everywhere and the approach to the problem varies from city to city, country to country. In Spain, ‘campaigns’ seem to be very localised and last a very short period of time.
A couple of people get fined, the authorities are happy as they proudly publish the figures and that’s it for another year, or so. The problem, however, remains, it is not resolved.
Cities all over Europe have proper public dog toilets as well as often requiring dog owners to (visibly) carry plastic bags.
Milan has special areas in parks set aside solely for the use of dogs. It gives them a place to run about and also a place to do their business and the areas are kept clean. There are plastic bag dispensers on site.
Brussels for one has a multitude of public dog toilets, and even small towns in Belgium have them.
Almost everywhere you go in Geneva, particularly in parks and other public areas, there are notices and plastic bag dispensers. The dispensers are refilled as a matter of routine.
The common theme in much of the rest of Europe seems to be trying to help resolve the problem as well as conducting awareness campaigns, rather than just fining people for infractions. A lesson to be learned?
The UK poster campaign appears to be national and it will be interesting to see how appealing to ‘one’s better nature’ actually works out. A national campaign plus public dog toilets, now that might work.