Andrew Hawes has had enough of your dog crap! The self described dog shit vigilante is waging war on owners who fail to clear up their pets’ mess. [9] He definitely is a new post-modern type of superhero. He may not save the world anytime soon but he is shoveling the shit one turd at the time. The Leiston, Suffolk, man, tired of dealing with inconsiderate dog owners who chronically can’t be bothered to pick up their dogs’ mess, is starting a “name-and-shame project” during which he will spend 10 days of his holiday hiding in the bushes — in full camouflage — to catch them in the act. The 43-year-old Englishman told the Daily Mail that his vigilante tactics are much needed at the park near his home in Suffolk. “We spent weeks cleaning up the neighbourhood and removed bucket loads of dog poo,” he told the paper. “Within seven days it was all back again and we thought: ‘enough is enough.’” [8] Hawes plans to photograph the inconsiderate pet owners and confront them after the dook is dropped if they refuse to pick it up. “If they don’t clear up after their dog I’ll pop out of the hedge and say, ‘excuse me, could you please clean up after your dog?,” Hawes told BBC News. “You’re being filmed – if you clean up the film will be deleted straight away – if not you’ll be posted on my Facebook page for people to identify and then you’ll be reported to the police’ – as long as the person isn’t about 7ft tall.” [11]
Mr Hawes said he would pass the details to police once offenders are identified [10] Hawes’ vigilantism has already earned the fandom of many britons, but he says he’s not in it for the fame, he’s only thinking of the children. [11] The father of four is worried neighbourhood kids could pick up infections or diseases from the mess. [5] Mr Hawes, said he also had the backing of a name-and-shame Facebook page, which has more than 500 members. [10] Even Hugh Grant took a moment to Tweet out his praise for the man’s mission to get dog poop off the streets. [7]
He has been using water-based spray paint to leave the message “clean it up”, and will use 10 days of holiday to step up his campaign, hiding in bushes around Leiston. [10] And if the law has a problem with it, he said he’s prepared to answer to it in court. “If I have to go to court to explain my actions, if it’s saving a child from getting dog mess in their eye and going blind through disease, so be it,” he said. “The police say it is not illegal for me to do this — it’s just like having a CCTV camera,” he told the Daily Mail. [8] Mr Hawes, who believes his experience as a deer stalker will help his pursuit, said the sight of the mess previously made him cry. [10]
