Dog Fouling

Bag it, tie it, bin it campaign

The ‘Bag it, tie it, bin it’ awareness raising campaign aims to persuade individuals to clean up after their dogs on our countryside sites. Dog walkers are some of the most loyal and regular visitors to Countryside Service sites with the vast majority behaving in a responsible manner. The Service has established good relationships with its dog walkers and continues to welcome them to their sites. The campaign is targeted at the small minority of dog walkers who fail to clear up after their dog/s. Launched in response to public feedback, the campaign will feature information leaflets. eye-catching posters and enforcement patrols on sites.

Dog mess is a nationwide problem.  95% of the British public are worried about the amount of dog fouling in public places¹, whilst within Worcestershire, dog mess is cited as the third most important concern by users of public spaces².

It is an offence for a dog owner not to clear up after their dog that has fouled on any land open to the public which is covered by the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 or Dog Control Orders³.  Dog Wardens and other authorised officers can fine £50 on the spot, any person who fails to clear up after a dog which is under their control.  In certain circumstances, dog owners can be prosecuted and a maximum fine of £1000 imposed.

It is recommended that dog owners carry a doggy bag or a carrier bag, to pick up their dog’s faeces while out walking. (Put the bag over your hand and pick it up with your protected hand.  Turn the bag inside out around the faeces and tie a knot in the top of the bag).  This should be disposed of in a dog waste bin (where available).  If this is not possible, take the bag home or double wrap the faeces and put in a normal litter bin.

¹ Cleaner Safer Greener Communities
² Worcestershire County Council’s Citizens Panel Survey 2005
³ Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005

Facts about dog mess

Making a mess of the environment: Dog’s mess is changing the environment.  It is particularly damaging to sensitive habitats where plant and wildflower species need poor fertility to survive.  Unlike your garden at home, increasing the fertility of soil in the natural environment is not necessarily a good thing.

Danger to others: Dog faeces left in public places pose a danger to other users of the area.  Children especially are at risk from Toxicaris, a disease caused by the eggs of round worms which can cause aches pains, bronchial conditions and extreme cases, the loss of eyesight.  Faeces also harbour other diseases and bacteria which can be spread on shoes and wheels.  However there are no health risks to you from immediately clearing up after your dog as the eggs of the Toxocara worm take over two weeks to hatch and become active.

Where to dispose: Although there are designated red litter bins for disposing dog faeces, people are able to dispose their dog’s waste in regular litter bins or alternatively dispose of it in their own litter bins at home.  

Enforcement: Only Dog Wardens and other authorised officers are able to issue £50 "on the spot" fines to offending dog owners.  The general public can contact their local authority to report persistent offenders where wardens can patrol problem areas and contact the offending dog owners.

Why not clear up other mess?: The difference between dog mess and cow dung is that cow dung does not have the worms and parasites in that dog mess does, it is essentially grass. As dogs scavenge and eat a very varied diet, including other animal meat, the chances of infection from the dog mess is much higher than partially digested grass that is cow dung.

Further information

Encams

Dog Fouling and the Law – A guide to the public  (269.98 KB)

Bromsgrove District Council   

Malvern Hills District Council  

Redditch Borough Council

Worcester City Council  

Wychavon District Council

Wyre Forest District Council

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