When you get a dog picking up their mess is part of the deal – yet so many people don’t.
Anyone who is a member of a local social media page will know that complaints about discarded dog dirt are a hot, and regular, topic.
Some fed up residents even resort to ‘naming and shaming' by posting pictures, videos and incredibly detailed descriptions of offenders.
But, it seems, that’s as much punishment as the inconsiderate pet owners get because dog poo fines are not top of the pile for councils.
Despite signs threatening hefty fines, no fixed penalty notices have been issued in South Kesteven in the past five years.
Officers have the power to dish out a fine of £100, with no reduction for early payment, to anyone who allows a dog to foul on public land or land to which the public has access.
But an authorised officer of the council would need to witness an offence taking place and then successfully identify the dog walker. Social media snaps of the offender don’t count.
South Kesteven District Councillor Rhea Rayside said: “We realise that dog fouling on public areas is a disgusting habit and fully sympathise with families or individuals affected.
“As ever, it is the small minority that is letting a majority of responsible dog owners down.
“Residents tend to highlight dog fouling as blighting the area they live in, and I couldn’t agree more.”
Neighbourhood officers cover all 365 square miles of the district – including the towns of Stamford, Grantham, Bourne and Market Deeping.
They also deal with a range of other issues including noise, fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and environmental crimes, so the council relies on dog owners doing the right thing.
Coun Rayside added: “Prosecution is challenging without the evidence, and while we can deter poor behaviour using signage and targeted patrols.
“Keep Britain Tidy research indicated that people allow their dogs to foul because they often feel they can get away without being observed by a local authority officer or enforcement contractor.
“The same research also suggested that most people who let their dogs foul do so at night or any areas that are not overlooked as they are unlikely to be observed.”
Rutland County Council doesn’t issue fines as there aren’t any PSPOs relating to dog fouling.
The authority deals with reports on a case-by-case, or poo-by-poo, basis including sending the county's dog warden to patrol and putting signs up in hot spots.
A spokesperson for the county council said: “If there are regular culprits and we are able to get a description of the dog/owner then we may be able to ask the dog warden to attend at the right place and at the right time to issue a warning.
“However it can be extremely difficult to catch them in the act.
“We also issue written warnings where appropriate, for example where there is evidence to suggest an identifiable member of the public has not been picking up after their dog.”
Any bin will do stickers’ aim to alert dog owners that general litter bins can be used for dog waste and pink chalk-based spray is circled around any fouling.
Rutland County Council could apply for Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) but this would require ‘extensive consultation’ and consideration of how it would be enforced and the costs of doing so.
In North Kesteven a focus is put on preventative measures rather than fines.
This involves dog patrols, visits by the council’s environmental health team to problematic areas where they speak with dog owners and issuing free dog poo bags.
The council receives an average of 30 complaints a year about dog fouling on pavements across the 356 square mile district.
North Kesteven district council executive member for environment and public protection, Coun Mark Smith, said: “Rather than issuing fines, which relies upon catching someone in the act of leaving their dog’s waste, we use proactive and preventative actions to tackle dog fouling and avoid it becoming a persistent problem in our communities.
“There is no excuse not to pick up your dog’s waste.”
The City of Lincoln, which receives about three complaints a month, operates a ‘zero tolerance policy towards irresponsible dog owners’.
Ben Jackson, public protection and anti-social behaviour manager at City of Lincoln Council, said: “We urge the public to help us identify perpetrators of dog fouling offences by reporting the incident to us, including any information or evidence that would help us to identify the offender.”
In West Lindsey three fines of £100 have been issued for dog fouling since 2023.
It is an area the council plans to allocate more resources to.
A spokesperson said: “The council spends a significant amount of time each week out in the district looking for environmental offences and dog fouling is notoriously difficult to witness as an offence.
“The council has no doubt that dog fouling is an underreported issue and seeks to encourage reports so it can attempt to identify any perpetrators.”
South Holland, Boston Borough and East Lindsey District Councils refused to respond to LincsOnline’s questions and instead asked that we submit a Freedom of Information request.
This has been done and the authorities have 20 working days to respond.
South Holland District Council has agreed to implement a new district-wide Public Spaces Protection Order to target irresponsible dog owners which will come into force on February 1.
Under the new rules dog owners who fail to clean up after their dogs or found not to carry a ‘means to do so’ will be fined
What do you think? Let us know your views in the comments below…
