Campaigning pet owners accuse Fareham Borough Council of 'putting their hand in the sand' after confirmed use of controversial weed killer they link to dog illnesses

Spraying of the product, containing glyphosate, will start in the borough next Tuesday.

The council thinks the weed killer is safe, but some residents are not convinced, after a spate of dog illnesses last summer.

Chris Jones rushed his shih-poo, Teddy, to the vets last July as a result, and is worried about the spraying.

He told The News: ‘It feels like groundhog day.

‘I’m quite concerned, I can’t see anything anywhere that says it’s safe.

‘Brighton council have banned it, and so have 40 other councils, so I can’t see why they would ban it if it was a safe substance.’

Mr Jones’ dog became ill after going for a walk – becoming lethargic and losing a lot of blood.

He blames the glyphosate, and estimates 40 dogs became ill at the same time, or worse.

He added: ‘There were dogs that died last year, and it was following when the spraying was going on.

‘I can’t believe for one minute that there is no link.’

Fareham Borough Council are planning to use Nomix Dual, which contains the chemical.

They consulted information from the Chemical Regulation Division (CRD), who evaluate pesticide products in the UK – deeming the weed killer poses little risk to the environment and animals.

Regular updates of ‘herbicide spraying’ will be posted online, and workers spraying Nomix Dual will wear high visibility jackets.

Mr Jones described these updates as ‘a token gesture’, as no exact schedule will be posted.

Carol Roach is campaigning against the weed killer, and her petition has over 700 signatures.

Her nine-year-old golden retriever, Simba, became seriously ill with stomach cramps last summer.

After consulting her vet, the Fareham resident believes Simba ingested the weed killer.

She said: ‘I’m dead against it, they shouldn’t use it.

‘When it is not dry, it isn’t safe, and I don’t think all the relevant information has been made available to the council.

‘In my opinion, there is more they haven’t read, and are choosing to ignore it.‘

Since then, Ms Roach has been sharing the petition and data across social media.

One Nomix Dual data sheet on Facebook said ‘avoid release to the environment.’

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She added: ‘I think the council are putting their head in the sand.

‘I understand they want to keep the streets tidy, but most people would rather see overgrown weeds than see them sprayed with something toxic that would make their dogs ill.’

In an announcement about the spraying, councillor Ian Bastable, executive member for Streetscene at Fareham Borough Council, said: ‘We work throughout the year to make the Borough look its best and ensure that areas do not become overrun with unwanted vegetation.

‘This is necessary work to allow residents to continue to use these areas unhindered.

‘Following feedback from residents, we will publish details of when and where we will be spraying herbicides going forward and ensure that our operatives are clearly visible.’

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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