The signs in College Lane are ignored

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BY JAMES SAUNDERS

“IRRESPONSIBLE owners who fail to clean up dog poo should be subject to CCTV and treated like shoplifters, according to residents.

The mess in Kentish Town’s College Lane – commonly used as a cut-through for walkers heading to Hampstead Heath – has led to the street being branded “Dog Poo Alley”.

Children have been using coloured chalk to tell dog walkers to clean up and dog poo is being spray-painted purple to alert passers-by.

Cordelia Brown, 48, said: “You feel really downcast when you’re walking home and you see somebody’s left a pile of it right outside someone’s door – particularly the older residents. When you’re looking to check that it’s OK to step out, you just put your foot in it.”

Ms Brown, who has lived in College Lane for 16 years, added: “I actually think that the more dogs there are, the better people are at picking it up”.

She said the a boom in dog ownership during the lockdown may have worsened the problem.  Camden Council has put up signs threatening dog owners with fines but residents said this has not fixed the problem.

One dog owner, who lives in the street, said: “I think the level of poo is exactly the same – it’s always bad, and it’s always been bad. The only thing that could work is cameras. They should be treated like shoplifters with their faces on view.

“Fines won’t deter anyone… the type of person who doesn’t pick up their dog poo wouldn’t be put off by even a £500 fine. If you can afford to have a dog, you can afford poo bags.”

A Camden Council spokesperson said: “We have recently stepped up action against owners who do not clean up after their dog. This can be a £100 on-the-spot fine or £1,000 fine if prosecuted. A new Public Space Protection Order applies to our streets, estates, and parks. We would be happy to work with College Lane residents on this.”

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