Denbighshire residents are being urged not to feed seagulls

Residents are being urged not to feed seagulls

As part of Denbighshire County Council’s efforts to tackle problems caused by seagulls, the Council is warning residents not to feed them.

The Council is continuing its social media and publicity campaign to raise awareness of the issue and posters have previously been distributed to food and drink establishments as well as other businesses in Rhyl.

Cllr Mark Young, the Council’s lead member for Planning, Public Protection and Safer Communities, said: “Seagulls are a common cause of complaint for the Council and are seen by some as nuisance in our coastal communities.

“There have been reports of seagulls causing some injuries to individuals as they try and find food. Whilst the number of incidents is low, they can be very distressing. We would encourage residents to take care and be aware of seagulls while eating outside.

“We are looking at a number of ways to tackle the issue including encouraging residents not to feed seagulls, as well as working with food providers to reduce food waste and ensure any food waste bins are covered adequately.

“The message is clear, by not feeding seagulls and making sure food waste is covered, we can reduce the amount of opportunities for seagulls. There are limited options to the Council as they are a protected species and we need the public’s support. I would ask residents to take note of the message and not to feed seagulls.”