Rugby match stopped due to dog fouling on pitch highlights 'huge problem'

A Cardiff rugby club has said dog fouling on its playing fields is a "huge problem" which has been causing tension within the community.

Eurof James from Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd (CRCC) said coaches and parents had to clear the pitches before every game, with children as young as eight or nine leaving with dog poo on them.

It comes as the club shared a video of a dog defecating on a rugby field during one of the second team's home games last year, with one of the players having to clear the mess before play could resume.

Cardiff council said park rangers worked closely with its waste enforcement team to address dog fouling, including educating dog walkers where necessary.

James said there were more than 15 sports pitches in Llandaff, Cardiff, where hundreds of children play every week.

"It can be a medical problem, if there is someone who has a cut or who is injured - it can be a serious problem," he said.

He described the problem as a big challenge which "creates tension", with coaches and parents walking the pitches before games.

"I've found myself having to shout after the owner because they don't notice – they walk in front of the dog and don't keep an eye on it and then deny that it's their dogs," he said.

"It creates problems and some parents say are we not doing enough."

The club plays on the council-owned pitches, he said, adding the local authority had put up a number of signs to try to improve the situation.

The council said: "If a dog fouling incident is witnessed, or a dog owner fails to carry appropriate means to pick up dog faeces, it can result in a fixed penalty notice of up to £100 being issued."

According to the NHS, people can develop an infection called toxocariasis through contact with dog poo.

It can sometimes lead to serious problems, including loss of sight and breathing difficulties, caused by worms found in the poo of some dogs, cats and foxes.

You can become infected if poo, soil or sand containing eggs from the worms gets in your mouth.

Dog fouling is not a problem unique to Cardiff, with one club in Powys deciding to install CCTV in order to tackle the issue on their fields

Posting on social media, Hay St Mary's football club in Hay-on-Wye said dog fouling was "an ongoing problem and we will not accept it any longer".

The club added that "anyone who lets a dog foul on the fields without being cleared will be identified and there will be further action".

According to Gareth Ratcliffe, a Hay-on-Wye community councillor and referee, it is "a problem that affects everyone" within the club.

"I appreciate that there are green areas for everyone, but this land is used by children, and it is a danger in terms of diseases," he said.

"When this was posted online, so many people from different places were talking about how much of a problem it is.

"In Y Gelli Gandryll every bin can take dog poo, so what reason is there not to get rid of it?

"I hope the cameras will be a deterrent. It's sad that we have reached this point."

"It's up to the owners," said actor and former CRCC chairman, Rhys ap William.

"It depends where you are, if you're on open fields...it's a huge problem."

He added the issue was at its worst during the winter, when he said wet weather and early nights meant fewer owners are likely to pick up dog poo.

"It's all down to raising awareness of what dog fouling can do to harm a person - and to make sure that owners do the right thing.

"I just think some are lazy," he said.

The Mr Burton actor also wants dog owners to be "more aware of where you are while in the park – if you see a white line or posts, you're on playing fields."