Detectives to dog dog-owners

Getafe (Spain), Oct 16 (IANS/EFE) The Town Council of Getafe, a city in the industrial belt surrounding Madrid, has hired special detectives tasked with detecting residents who do not clean up the faeces their dogs leave in public streets.

Juan Soler, mayor of the city, home to 172,000 people, hired the 'Canine Vigilante' company to detect, investigate, carry out awareness campaigns, send free faeces bags to citizens and establish a garden for dogs.

After complaints from residents, the council ordered a study on the problem's environmental impact that revealed that every 100 metres in the city, there are eight canine depositions.

The detectives will scour the parks and streets of Getafe, taking note of those who violate the rules and submit reports to the police in order to fine the violators.

During the upcoming two weeks, awareness leaflets will be distributed to residents explaining the initiative, and after that period ends, municipal authorities will start to impose fines that might go as high as $955.

--IANS/EFE

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