Wiltshire Council - Leave Only Pawprints competition winners announced

Wiltshire’s parks and pathways are to get a splash of colour and creativity, thanks to the winners of Wiltshire Council’s “Leave Only Pawprints” competition, announced at a special presentation event in Trowbridge on Wednesday 10 September.

Organised by the council’s Dog Warden team, the competition invited children aged 5 to 14 to design bold, eye-catching posters reminding dog owners to clean up after their pets. 

Over 60 vibrant entries were submitted and judged by representatives from Bath Cats and Dogs Home. The top three finalists in each age category (4–6, 7–9, and 10–14 years) were shortlisted and showcased on Wiltshire Council’s Facebook page, where the public cast more than 1,000 votes to select the winners.

The winning artists, George (6), Elise (8), and Freya (10), were celebrated at the event and presented with keepsake versions of their designs by Cabinet Member Cllr Paul Sample JP and Paul Ashman from the council’s Streetscene contractor, idverde. Their artwork will now be displayed across a variety of parks, footpaths and open spaces to help spread the message in a fun and engaging way. Each winner also received a £50 Amazon voucher, kindly donated by idverde.

Cllr Paul Sample JP, Cabinet Member for Environment, said: “I want to thank all of the children who took the time to create and send in a design. This competition has been a brilliant way to get young people involved in looking after their communities while using their imaginations and creativity. The winning designs are not only vibrant and eye-catching, but they also carry an important message about keeping our shared spaces clean and safe. 

“Congratulations to our winners, George, Elise, and Freya, their work will make a real difference."

Paul Ashman from idverde Community Engagement Manager commented “Children in our community care deeply about the environment around them, and they have been rightly frustrated by the amount of dog mess left on our pavements. It’s been an absolute pleasure working with them and seeing how they’ve channelled that frustration into something so positive through their creative poster designs.

“I truly hope this campaign encourages both our local and wider community to take notice and act responsibly, by picking up after their dogs and helping keep our streets clean for everyone. We live in a beautiful area, and it’s only right that we all do our part to look after it.

“Huge congratulations to our talented winners, George, Elise, and Freya. Your work is not only inspiring but will genuinely make a difference.”