Dog fouling

We take dog fouling very seriously as 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 therefore a crime to allow a dog to foul in any public area without clearing it up.  Those that fail to do so could face a fixed penalty notice of £50 or prosecution.

Here some tips to avoid a fine:

• never let your dog walk far 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 or ask another dog walker if they have a spare bag
• encourage your dog to stay on the perimeters of fields or pitches to any fouling does not cause any harm to other people
• don't let your dog to roam on its own as it could be taken away as a stray - collar and ID tag are also required by law.

If you see a dog owner allowing their dog to foul and not picking it up, take details of anything that might help us identify them and contact the council using the details on the right.