Dog fouling

It's an offence to allow your dog to foul in public areas and not to clean up after them. This includes roads, pathways and parks. 

It's also dangerous if people come into contact with dog excrement, as it can lead to blindness from an infection called Toxocara canis.

Owner responsibilities

We have a responsibility to clear dog fouling or mess from the public highway as part of normal street cleansing.

• Dog owners must keep their pet under control at all times.
• There are signs in parks and open spaces advising when an animal must be on a lead, and they're not allowed in children's play areas.
• Dog fouling must be disposed of correctly by the owner.

If you do not pick up after your dog, you could be prosecuted and fined with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) fine of £80.

You could be fined up to a maximum of £1,000 when committing an offence.

What to do if there's persistent dog fouling

Reporting persistent incidents helps the council take effective action to stop this kind of activity.

Catching offenders in the act is difficult, so information from the public identifying who the offender is (if known) is vital and should be collected before a report is made to the council.

If you see or believe that someone is regularly allowing their dog to foul on the road, pavement or verge, it's really helpful if you keep a diary of the exact location(s) and time of occurrences over a 2-week period.

In your report, please ensure you include the exact location of the fouling, provide a name and address or description of the dog owner and dog and the frequency of it happening.