New bins along a walking route in Hay-on-Wye have been hailed as helping fight the blight of dog poo in the town.

A community campaign aimed to tackle dog mess in the town after local people started referring to Hay as the ’dog poo capital of Wales’.

The Hay Community Woodland Group installed the bins along the old railway line footpath and every week volunteers collect more than 30kg of dog poo from the bins, which were funded by the town council.

Volunteers also use a biodegradable marker spray to highlight any dog’s mess left along the footpath to help pedestrians avoid stepping in it and also as a ’nudge’ to dog owners to clear up after their dogs.

The Hay Veterinary Group is also supporting the campaign.

Vet Hannah Sampson, of the practice, said dog poo can carry serious diseases for humans and animals.

She said: "Dog poo isn’t just smelly, it can also be a danger to other animals and people. Dog poo contains a lot of different bacteria, viruses and parasites. Some of these bugs are zoonotic – which means they can make humans unwell. An example is ‘Toxocara canis’, a roundworm common in dogs if they are not regularly wormed."

Dog poo also poses a risk to grazing animals, said the vet: "Many dog owners think that leaving their dog’s poo on grazing land isn’t a big problem.

"However some worm species have a complicated lifecycle that involves both dogs and livestock. In our mixed veterinary practice we see cases of ’Gid’ in sheep every year. This is associated with one species of canine tapeworm.

"Affected sheep become extremely unwell and will die without surgical treatment. Other tapeworm species can reduce the growth rates of lambs. "Most farmers are aware of the disease associated with dog tapeworm, and will treat their own dogs every three months. However pet owners may be using a wormer that doesn’t control tapeworm species. In this part of the world, it is essential that dog owners talk to their vet about how best to worm their dogs, especially if they walk over farmland."

The next step for the campaign is a poster competition for local schools, organised by Hay Town Council, to encourage dog owners to clear up after their pets. Stickers will also go up on every bin in the town to make people aware that in Hay, unlike many towns, dog poo can be placed in any council bin.

Dog poo bags can be bought from many shops around town. Owners of big dogs can also purchase vets ‘arm-length gloves’, which make picking up a big dog’s poo a lot easier.

Dog owners are encouraged to take spare bags with them on walks, and offer them to anyone who has left their bags at home.