No detours, no institutional euphemisms: El Poble Nou de Benitatxell is not interested in anyone’s crap, and has decided to shout it out loud. The councillorship of Urban Waste and Municipal Services, led by councillors Javi Cabrera and María José Ivars, have officially presented a new and impressive citizen awareness campaign adressed to pet owners. The main objective is to eradicate once and for all uncivil behaviors related to the abandonment of dog excrement and the lack of cleaning of urine on public roads.
The campaign, designed by Punt Estudi, starts with a direct, rogue and forceful message: «Nobody cares about your crap». With this visual identity, satirically starring Globi, a dog made of balloons, and an emoticon of shiny excrement, the council seeks to attract the attention of the neighbors and emphasize that the coexistence and cleanliness of the municipality depend on the collaboration of all citizens.
The initiative includes a series of direct actions in the street that go beyond simple signage. On the one hand, new litter bins and informative signage have been installed at different strategic points in the municipality to facilitate the disposal of waste.
Likewise, information leaflets and special bottles designed so that those responsible can carry water and dilute their dogs’ pee on public roads will be distributed, an action that will be reinforced next Wednesday, June 17th with the installation of an information point in the street market.
This comprehensive plan will be completed with an audiovisual aspect thanks to a promotional video, which will be launched on social networks and municipal channels to reinforce the message visually.
The Council reminds that keeping the municipality clean «is also your responsibility». In this sense, the Municipal Ordinance of Citizen Coexistence establishes the obligation to always pick up excrement with bags, keep the dog permanently on a leash (with a maximum of 2 metres) and clean urine.
Failure to comply with these basic rules of civility can lead to serious financial penalties. Fines for not picking up excrement or not cleaning up urine range from 200 to 3,000 euros, while taking the dog loose can also cost up to 3,000 euros.
«Excuses are useless, a simple gesture can avoid a public health and image problem in our town,» conclude the councillorship of Urban Waste and Municipal Services, appealing to mutual respect to achieve a clean El Poble Nou de Benitatxell.
