Allowing your dog to foul the pavement, a public open space, a cemetery, play park or sports ground is an offence and can result in a fine of up to £1000.
If you witness anyone allowing their dog to foul in these areas and not picking it up, please contact CDC on
Cotswold District Council
Trinity Road
Cirencester Glos GL7 1PX
Tel: 01285 623000
Email: ers@publicagroup.uk
Visit: www.cotswold.gov.uk
Dog Fouling
Dog mess is the most unacceptable and offensive type of litter on our streets. It is unpleasant to see it in parks, on the pavement, and especially on your shoe!
While many dog owners are caring, responsible individuals, there are still some people who do not clean up after their pets. Dog fouling is consistently one of the highest sources of complaints by the public to the District Council. Dog fouling is seen as one of the biggest nuisances blighting public spaces. Not only is it an unpleasant sight and smell, its unhygienic and spreads disease.
Dog fouling is not only unpleasant, it is dangerous. Whilst rare, contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis. This is an infection caused by the roundworm toxocara canis. The eggs of the parasite can be found in soil or sand contaminated with dog faeces and if swallowed, result in an infection that lasts between 6 and 12 months and can cause blindness. With infected soil samples often found in play areas, toxocariasis most commonly affects children between 18 months and 5 years.
If individuals wish to take action against a dog owner who has not cleaned up after their dog, they should report to the District Council, details of the offence. To include the name and address of the person in charge of the dog, a description of the dog, plus details of the date, time and place.
Cleaning up after your dog is one of the key responsibilities of dog ownership, especially in public places. The best way is to use a doggy bag, or a carrier bag, to pick up the faeces. Ideally this should then be placed in a designated dog bin. However, a lack of a nearby bin is no excuse. To bag it and leave poo bags in trees, on fences or on the ground is also completely unacceptable as this is extremely bad for the environment.
“Dogs and the Law “
The Cotswold District Council Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), makes it an offence if you do not remove any poo deposited by your dog. This removal must be done without delay.
Any breach of the Order could result in a £100 fixed penalty notice or being taken to court and receiving a fine on conviction of up to £1000. The PSPO does not apply to blind or partially-sighted people with guide dogs and those with other trained assistance dogs.