Vale of White Horse District Council
Abbey House, Abbey Close,
Abingdon, OX14 3JE
Email: comments@whitehorsedc.gov.uk
Telephone: 01235 520202

Vale of White Horse District Council

Dog fouling

Dog mess is not only unpleasant but it spreads diseases which can cause illness and even blindness.

Under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 a person who is in charge of a dog must clean up after it when it fouls any footpath, highway, verge or other open space to which the public have access.

It is a crime to allow your dog to foul in any public areawithout cleaning it up.  By doing so you could face a fixed penalty notice of £50 or prosecution.
 
In order to ensure that you do not fall foul of the law simply follow these pointers:

• Never let your dog walk a great distance from you as this makes it difficult to see when they foul.
• Always carry a bag when walking your dog so you can clean up after it. If you have for some reason forgotten a bag or unexpectedly used your last one, do not hesitate to ask another nearby dog walker for one.
• Encourage your dog to stay on the perimeters of fields or pitches to ensure that remnants of the fouling do not cause any harm to innocent bystanders.
• Do not just park up next to a public area and let your dog roam on its own. This dangerous practice could result in not only a fixed penalty for your dog's fouling – your dog could also be taken away as a stray. A collar and ID tag are also required by law. 

If you see another dog owner committing this offence please keep a record of anything that can identify them and contact the Vale of White Horse District Council's Environment Warden on 01235 520202.