463 dog fouling incidents in Newcastle last year - only 3 fined

Dogs in the UK produce over 3,000 tonnes of poo every day and it is a legal requirement of the owner to pick it up and bin it. If left, dog poo can pose a serious hazard to other dogs, the environment, wildlife and humans.

Petplan, a UK pet insurance company, wanted to explore the scale of Great Britain’s dog fouling problem, and research found that there were 463 dog fouling incidents in Newcastle last year but only three perpetrators were given a fine.

The data presented by Newcastle City Council that the incidents included dog fouling reported by a member of the public, incidents council officers have witnessed, and other related incidents. Only three fixed penalty notices were given, meaning only 0.6% of dog owners who left their dog foul in public were handed a fine.

John Read, the founder of the anti-littering campaign Clean Up Britain, said: “Dog faeces contain toxins and things that are not good for humans, particularly babies and young children. From that point of view, dog fouling is a danger and an environmental hygiene issue.

Councils have the ability to fine people up to £1,000 for dog fouling, and they should use that as often as they can to penalise dog owners who are not doing the right thing in clearing up their dog’s mess.”

For more information on Petplan’s dog foul analysis please click here.