Costa del Sol town hall fines 25 owners for not cleaning up after their pets

The department of health and consumer affairs of Rincón de la Victoria is launching a new initiative as part of its campaign to raise awareness about the importance of keeping public spaces clean by encouraging pet owners to clean up after their animals. Councillor Lola Ramos announced that, during the months of July and August, information points will be set up in the municipal markets, where refillable bottles for diluting and mitigating the corrosive effect of urine, as well as bag dispensers for the collection of waste will be distributed.

Mayor Francisco Salado stressed "the importance of promoting actions to raise awareness among residents about compliance with municipal regulations on animal ownership and street cleaning".

In April, information panels were installed in different parts of the municipality to inform residents of their obligation to collect excrement and use bottles with water and vinegar to dilute urine. In addition, the panels warned about the penalties for non-compliance with these rules.

"Failure to clean up after pets damages urban hygiene, deteriorates the appearance of the municipality, increases street cleaning costs and generates social conflicts between neighbours," councillor Ramos said.

Since the start of the genetic (DNA) pet identification programme, which began last year, around a hundred samples have been taken. To date, 25 penalties have been imposed on owners who do not pick up their pets' waste, as well as on those who have not complied with the obligation of genetic identification.

Fines for these offences range from 75 to 500 euros, as set out in the municipal regulations.