SPRINGFIELD, Mo. >> Officials in a southwest Missouri city are planting small flags in piles of abandoned dog poop as part of a campaign to get residents to clean up after their pets downtown.

The Police Department in Springfield, Missouri, posted photos of the flags in use on its Facebook page Wednesday.

The flags contain messages such as, “Is this your turd? ‘Cuz that’s absurd” and “This is a nudge to pick up the fudge.”

The campaign started this week and the department noted on Facebook that leaving behind a pet’s mess in many cases violates a city ordinance.

The flags are made of bamboo and recycled paper.

The city said it picks up nearly 25 pounds of feces a week from downtown parks and parking lots, costing $7,500 annually.