DOG owners face a new £75 fine or an ultimate penalty of £2,500 if they fail to clean up after their pets

DOG owners face a new £75 fine or an ultimate penalty of £2,500 if they fail to clean up after their pets.

The council has sent out letters to residents in Green Lanes, warning them to clean up after their dogs or face a £75 fixed penalty notice, which could increase to £2,500 if it is not paid on time. It plans to roll out the scheme across the borough.

Residents caught littering the streets by fly-tipping also face similar penalties.

Yvonne Peggler 70, of Alexandra Park Road, Muswell Hill, welcomed the fines. She said: "I've tried to catch people who don't clear up after their pets by standing in my front garden and pretending to garden. One woman I challenged said she'd be back with a plastic bag in an hour but people are meant to clear it up straight away."

Crouch End builder Charles Eldridge, who has a German shepherd puppy, said: "I think this is absolutely fine. I carry plastic bags whenever I take Biro for a walk. The one thing I would say is that the council needs to provide more bins so that owners can throw the dog excrement away."

Council said the Green Lanes area was the first to have the new fines introduced because of persistent complaints from residents.

Cllr Nilgun Canver said: "This type of anti-social behaviour cannot be allowed to spoil the local environment and residents' enjoyment of it."

To report someone for fly tipping or dog owners for not clearing up after their pets, telephone a street enforcement officer on 020-8489 5230.