WATCH: Dog fouling a big problem in residential Birkdale

by
24th May 2016

Photo: Woman allows dogs to foul in Bolton Road

WATCH: Dog fouling a big problem in residential Birkdale

A number of residents have been complaining about dog fouling problem in Birkdale, Southport.

A Bolton Road resident had the pleasure of a woman allowing her dog to poo all over his path as she hides behind the bushes watching it.

The home owner said: “I have a new-born and a toddler and enough to deal with as it is. This was on Sunday (22 May), Bolton Road.

“This woman regularly lets her dog do its business down our road!! I had to clean it up before my son or someone else walked in it”

What is the law governing dog fouling?

In England and Wales, the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 repealed the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 and brought dog control orders into operation, which allowed local councils to force dog owners to act more responsibly – including (but not limited to) clearing up dog mess.

The 2005 Act has since been repealed and the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 now allows local authorities to make a ‘public spaces protection order,’ which can have a similar effect.

Are you responsible for cleaning up after your dog?

As a dog owner, you have a legal responsibility to clear up mess when your dog fouls in a public place or footpath.

If you are observed not clearing up after your dog, Environmental Crime Enforcement Officers can issue you with an on-the-spot fine called a fixed penalty notice (FPN), typically up to £75. However, if you are brought to court for dog fouling, you could receive a maximum fine of £1,000.

There are two exemptions from this cleaning up requirement:

  1. People who are registered blind do not have to clean up after their guide dogs
  2. Dog owners on certain types of public land in England and Wales, including land used for agriculture or woodlands; rural common land; land that is mainly marshland, moor or heath; and highways with a speed limit of 50mph or more.

How do you clean up after your dog?

Most local authorities require you to carry a poop scoop and a disposable bag whenever you take your dog to a public place.

After your dog has fouled, you should try to find bins specifically marked as dog waste bins, where you can safely dispose of your dog bag.

If you do not have any poop scoop bags, you can ask your council’s street cleaners or animal warden unit.

 

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