The inflatable display in Torrelodones. SANTI BURGOS

The city of Torrelodones, in the Madrid region, has filed a complaint with the Civil Guard over the theft of a “giant poop” that was part of a local scoop-the-poop campaign.

Municipal sources said that the inflatable dropping went missing after the air was taken out and the item was packed back into its case.

Getting a replacement dropping will set the city back €2,4000

The contractor said that it will find a replacement for the imitation dog mess, which stands three meters tall. But the cost to city coffers will be around €2,400.

The display was part of a local awareness campaign to get residents to pick up after their dogs. With pet ownership on the rise, other Spanish municipalities have come up with creative ways to stress the need to not leave messes on the streets.

One town mailed back the droppings to the animals’ owners, while others are trying to create a database that will allow them to match the poop with the dog through DNA testing.