Council apologises over claims it undermined BLM movement with an advert using the slogan ‘Dog Fouling Matters’ asking owners to clean up after their pets
- North Devon council put up signs containing the slogan ‘Dog Fouling Matters’
- This was part of a campaign to encourage owners to clear up after their dogs
- The slogan was accused of ‘piggybacking’ the Black Lives Matter movement
- The council apologised for any offence caused and took down the posters
North Devon council has been forced to apologise after it was accused of undermining the Black Lives Matter movement with a anti-dog fouling campaign.
Posters had been spotted around the North Devon area with the slogan ‘Dog Fouling Matters’ as part of a campaign to encourage owners to clean up after their dogs.
The council defended its actions, claiming that the slogan had been invented 18 months ago, but the posters have been taken down as a result of complaints.
North Devon council has been accused of ‘piggybacking’ the Black Lives Matter movement after ant-dog fouling signs were spotted around the area with the slogan ‘Dog Fouling Matters’
The signs (pictured) had been placed all around the area encouraging dog owners to clean up after their animals
North Devon resident Yasmin Beck said: ‘Unfortunately your slogan “Dog fouling matters” uses a satirical play on words which undermines the Black Lives Matter movement.
‘This poster gives a feel of pointing a laughing finger at the many people driving forwards for positive change. Take them down and loudly show your support.
‘Let’s get North Devon Council behind this movement, rather than looking as though they’re snickering at it.’
A council spokesperson responded: ‘We are sorry for any offence which may have been caused by the wording on some of our dog fouling stickers.
‘This poster was developed a while ago when the prominence of the Black Lives Matter campaign was not as large as it has been recently and the posters have been up around the district for approximately 18 months.
Poster had also been handed out by the council, leaving north Devon residents puzzled
‘The posters were certainly not intended to piggyback off the Black Lives Matter movement and any similarity in the wording is coincidence.
‘North Devon Council recognises the importance of the Black Lives Matter campaign and fully supports the movement.
‘We hope that the complainant will understand that there was never any intention to cause offence, and we are happy to take feedback from the public on board, so will remove these posters and raise this with the relevant team to consider for any future campaigns.’