Ball of dog hair results in $76 littering fine

LONDON, July 19 (UPI) -- A London woman said she was slapped with a $76 littering fine for leaving behind hair from brushing her dogs in a park.

Tracey Hayes, 46, said she was brushing her golden retriever, Biskit, and Alsatian, Rocky, in Harrow Lodge Park while waiting for her son to finish soccer practice Wednesday when a pair of council wardens approached her and "blocked" her from cleaning up the dog hair or leaving the area, the London Evening Standard reported Friday.

"I can't deny what I did so I'll pay the fine, but It's really unfair to just spring that on people," Hayes said. "What has disappointed me more than anything was he was going to give me that fine no matter what, even though I instantly offered to clear it up. Obviously it was about the money, not the environment."

Andrew Curtin, Havering council's cabinet member for culture, towns and communities, said he agrees with the fine.

"Responsible dog owners groom their pets at home or in their garden -- not in public spaces, and especially not in our parks. We put a lot of time and effort into keeping our parks clean, and all residents should be able to enjoy them without any mess left by others," he said. "Littering anywhere in the brought incurs a fine -- whether it's a single cigarette butt, or clumps of dog hairs in a public space."