Most dog owners are very responsible and do pick up after their pets, but a small group of people choose to ignore the rules.
Dog fouling is unsightly, unpleasant and can occasionally lead to toxocariasis in humans which can cause serious illness, even blindness.
It is the responsibility of the dog owner or the person in charge of the dog to clear up any dog foul left by their dog. A fixed penalty notice of £75 will be issued to those who fail to clean up after their dog. Failure to accept or pay a fixed penalty notice will result in prosecution action through the magistrates court, which carries a penalty of £1000. Being unaware that the dog has fouled, or not having suitable means of removing the faeces or nowhere to dispose of them is not a reasonable excuse for failing to clean up after a dog.
Those dog owners that bag the mess but don't bin it (for example they dispose of the bag in a hedge, a tree or a garden) could face an additional offence for littering, which carries a separate maximum court penalty of £2,500.
Report it
You can help to take a stand against dog fouling in Leeds by reporting offences to our health and environmental action service. Information provided to the service by members of the local community can assist in the way in which council officers conduct their patrols and catch those responsible for dog fouling.
When reporting an offence of dog fouling to the environmental action team think about the following:
- Do you know of a dog owner who never or hardly ever picks up after their pet?
- Do they usually walk the dog at a certain time during the day?
- What times are the offences being committed?
- Where are the offences being committed?
- What does the dog look like?
- What does the owner look like?
- If the dog owner is using a car, what is the number on the registration plate?
If you would like to report a dog fouling offender contact the health and environmental action service with as many details as possible either by telephone or email.
Remember the more information you can give the greater chance there is of offenders being caught.
Top tips for being dog savvy are:
- Always be ready to clean up after your dog by taking a poop scoop or a supply of bags with you whenever you leave the house
- Where possible dispose of dog faeces in either a dog waste bin or seal it well using a bag which can then be carefully placed in a standard public litter bin.
- As well as clearing up your dog's mess you can help reduce any risk to the public by regularly worming your dog.
Love dogs? Hate dog fouling? If you know of someone who persistently fails to pick up after their pet, report them - telephone 0113 222 4407 or email environmental.action@leeds.gov.uk.