Reporting cases of fouling in public places
You can report incidents of dog fouling using our Service Request Form. We use the information that you submit on the form to assist officers with carrying out patrols of the district and promote responsible dog ownership. Please be aware that you will not get a response unless the Service requires further information from you.
We use the information in your report to help to make sure that dog owners and dog walkers clean up after their dogs if they foul in public areas.
What happens next?
It can be complicated to deal with what might appear to be a simple complaint. Addressing an issue might require a specific approach, enforcement action, raising awareness, changes to the way we provide facilities for dog owners, or a combination of all the above. It may even fall under the category of anti-social behaviour where persistent offenders are identified. The action we take depends on a number of factors. If you provide your contact information alongside the report, we may contact you to ask for more information to address your complaint. Information about responsible dog ownership can be found on our Animal Warden pages: Animal Warden - PPP (publicprotectionpartnership.org.uk)
Responsible dog ownership
You have a responsibility to ensure that your pet does not cause a nuisance to others. This means that you must comply with certain laws, most of which are straight forward and are there to ensure that people and dogs can live happily and safely in the community.
- Picking up after your dog is an important part of being a responsible dog owner.
- All dogs must wear a collar and tag with the name and address of the owner.
- All dogs and puppies must be microchipped and registered.
- It is against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere including in a public place, in a private place, for example, a neighbour’s house or garden or in the owner’s home.
- Dogs need to be well socialised and trained from an early age. To help keep your dog safe, the five basic commands they should know are: sit, down, stay, come, and heel.
We encourage all dog owners to act responsibly - our Facebook page has tips and information that might help.
