DOGS Trust and Keep Britain Tidy are today announcing the launch of The Big Scoop poster competition 2014 with a nationwide search for the best poster telling dog owners to scoop that poop!

The UK’s largest dog welfare charity, which has a rehoming centre in Ilfracombe, North Devon, and Keep Britain Tidy are urging budding Banksy types and potential Picassos aged 7-11 to get creative with the crayons and pretty with the pens to design an eye-catching poster to encourage dog owners to ‘Bag it, Bin it’.

There will be regional poster winners for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, with each winning school receiving a digital camera and Dogs Trust t-shirts for the class. An overall winner will be chosen from the four finalists, with this poster being used as The Big Scoop campaign poster for 2015.

Elvira Meucci-Lyons, Head of Education & Community at Dogs Trust, says: “As a national campaign, The Big Scoop engages with children, councils and park wardens to raise awareness of the importance of responsible dog ownership. Sadly last year there was a reported increase in dog fouling with 64% of people saying it was the most offensive litter item they encountered.

“We have seen, through our extensive education campaign, that there are many passionate young dog lovers, So, we have launched The Big Scoop poster competition as a way to give children a chance to have a hand in helping to raise an important community issue and urging dog owners to pick up after their pooch.”

Your poster can be as simple or as colourful as you like, with or without an image of a dog but must include the message ‘Bag it, Bin it’. Entries can be created by individuals or by class groups and should be A4 in size. You have until the 27th June to get your entries in. These will be posted at www.thebigscoop.org.uk for all to admire!

Please send your entries by post to: The Big Scoop Competition, Dogs Trust Education, 17 Wakley Street, London EC1V 7RQ [please note that we are unable to return posters] or by email: thebigscoop@dogstrust.org.uk. Winners will be notified by email/phone on or before the 14th July 2014