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Dog Fouling

"Clean up after your dog - bag it and bin it!"  Pick up or pay up!

Dog mess is an unpleasant aspect of dog ownership. It is every owner's duty to clean up after their dog - there is no excuse for leaving it behind

Why clean up after your dog?

  • Dog mess is unsightly, unpleasant and smelly! It is even more unpleasant if troden in and walked in to your home
  • Dog mess is unhygienic and may cause severe health problems, especially in children
  • Responsible dog owners reputations are damaged by the minority of dog owners who do not clean up after their dog

A guide to being a responsible dog owner:

  • Always carry a means to clear up after your dog. Poop bags are available free from the council offices, contact centres and some parish councils. An ordinary plastic bag will do if nothing else is available!
  • Dispose of your poop bag correctly. Use a dog bin where possible, failing this, use an ordinary litter bin or take the bag home and bin it there! pdf icon Litter Bin and Dog Bin Policy
  • If you have a garden, train your dog to go there before you leave home. This way you can bag it and bin it straight away!
  • Never let your dog out alone to do it's toilet, because the dog may stray and foul. If picked up by the Dog Warden you will have to pay to get your dog back and if the fouling was witnessed, you may face a fixed penalty notice of £50.00 or a court fine of up to £1,000.
  • Encourage other dog owners to act responsibly. Do not be rude or aggressive, but simply offer them one of your poop bags. Embarrassment gets better results than abuse.

Some people will continue to be irresponsible and there are an increasing amount of dog owners who clear up after their dog and then leave the bag on a tree or a bush or even throw it on the ground. This is littering and the Council can issue a fixed penalty notice of £50.00.

If you witness dog owners not picking up after their dog or disposing of their poop bags as described above, report them to us. You call will be treated in confidence

Report Irresponsible owners

If you decide to make a complaint about dog fouling, please ensure you supply as many details as possible in order for us to take the appropriate action:

  • Name and address of the dog owner - if you know it!
  • If the name/address is not known - a description of the person(s) and the dog(s)
  • Did the offender drive a vehicle? A description and/or registration of the vehicle
  • Location of the dog fouling or poop bag
  • Time of the incident - Very important! We may be able to catch the person the next time as most dog walkers follow a similar daily routine

Our enforcement staff carry out dog fouling patrols every day throughout the district based on complaints and the information you provide, but we need your help to make the district a safer, cleaner and healthier place to live.

You can now report dog fouling online 24 hours a day.

For further information or if you witness anyone flouting this law please telephone our Contact Centre's on 01246 242424 or submit an enquiry form

Last Updated on Monday, 02 July 2012 15:57

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