BOSSES at the Lake District Park Authority said they have seen an increase in dog poo being left behind in the area. 

To help raise the issue, the authority has launched a 'Leave Only Pawprints' campaign accompanied by a series of short films starring Lake District canine residents Milo, Snoop and Nala. 

Dog poo is dangerous for other animals, particularly grazing sheep, and even biodegradable bags can take a year to disintegrate - spoiling the beauty of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. 

Ranger Marian Jones said: "It’s unfortunate that we have to highlight this problem, but the instances of dog fouling within the National Park seem to be higher than we’ve seen before.

"People tend to think that if they are out on the fells their dog’s waste will act as fertiliser as they see sheep and cow faeces on their travels. This couldn’t be further from the truth and in fact, dog poo is extremely dangerous for other animals. It can even cause pregnant sheep to abort.  

"We’ve also seen an increase in people who have picked up their dog’s poo and bagged it and then attached it to a tree or fence. It takes up to a year for a biodegradable dog poo bag to disintegrate and I’m sure that I’m not alone in saying it’s not a nice way to decorate the Lake District.” 

As there are no bins out on the fells, rangers request that all litter, including dog poo, is taken home and the landscape is left exactly as found.

It is not the first time the issue of littering in the Lake District has been raised.

In summer 2020 National Trust wardens and national park rangers cleared up 130 refuse bags full of rubbish from beauty spots in just one weekend, according to Cumbria Police.