Leave Only Pawprints winners for 2026 announced

Wiltshire's parks and pathways are set to get a colourful makeover thanks to the winners of Wiltshire Council's Leave Only Pawprints competition. 

Organised by the council's Dog Warden team, the competition invited children aged 4 to 14 to use their creativity to design eye-catching posters reminding dog owners to pick up after their pets. 

Following the success of last year's competition, which saw the winning artwork brightening parks, pathways and open spaces across Wiltshire, the search was on once again for the county's most creative young dog-loving artists. This year's challenge attracted a record 78 entries, with everything from cheeky cartoon dogs to colourful countryside scenes helping deliver the message that responsible owners should always clean up after their pets. 

Representatives from Bath Cats and Dogs Home judged the entries, and the top three finalists in each age category (four to six, seven to nine, and 10 to 14 years) were showcased on the council's Facebook page, where members of the public voted to choose the winners. 

The competition proved popular with residents across Wiltshire, with families, friends and local communities supporting the young artists. Nearly 1,500 votes were cast during the public voting period, making it a closely contested competition and demonstrating strong public interest in the finalists' designs. 

After a closely fought public vote, three designs came out on top. The winning artists were:  

• Harper, aged six, winner of the four to six category, with 217 votes 

• Maria, aged eight, winner of the seven to nine category, with 270 votes 

• Emily, aged 12, winner of the 10 to 14 category, with 206 votes 

Wiltshire Council and representatives from the council's Streetscene contractor, idverde, presented the winners with keepsake versions of their designs. Their artwork will now be displayed across parks, open spaces and pathways throughout Wiltshire to help spread the message about responsible dog ownership in a fun and engaging way. 

Each winner also received a £50 Amazon voucher, kindly donated by idverde. 

Harper, winner of the four to six category, said: " I love dogs because I have always had one. I wanted to make a poster as it is important that people pick up after their dogs so it is nice for children and their families to play. I’m excited to look out for my picture when we are out walking our dog." 

Sarah Valdus, Director of Public Protection, said: "The response to this year's competition has been fantastic, with a record number of entries and huge support from residents through the online vote. 

"Nearly 1,500 votes were cast to help choose the winners, which shows just how much this competition has captured people's imagination. It's been wonderful to see communities rally behind the young artists and celebrate their creativity. 

"I'd like to thank every child who took part. It's great to see so many young people getting involved for a second year running, and the creativity on display made it incredibly difficult for the judges to select the finalists. It was then over to the public to vote for their favourites. 

“Congratulations to our winners. Their fun and colourful designs will help brighten up parks and pathways across Wiltshire while encouraging dog owners to do the right thing. Dog fouling remains an issue that residents regularly raise with us, so it's wonderful to see young people helping spread that message in such a positive way." 

Paul Ashman, 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, Harper, Maria, and Emily. Your work is not only inspiring but will genuinely make a difference.”