DOG FOULING

Owning a dog can bring enormous pleasure but it also brings great responsibility owners must ensure that their dog is properly looked after, fed and exercised. Owners must also ensure that they clean up after the dog has fouled.

Let’s face it no one likes dog mess and many members of the public are concerned by its presence on pavements, in parks and other public areas. Not only is it offensive and unsightly, it may also pose a risk to the health of anyone using the same space by contracting the roundworm Toxocara canis.

There are lots of rumours and misunderstanding surrounding Toxocara canis, so what is the truth?

• It is a roundworm that lives in the guts of dogs and foxes and its eggs are excreted in the faeces of infected animals.
• The eggs take over two weeks to hatch, therefore there are no health risks to you from immediately picking up after your dog.
• Approximately 5% of dogs expel Toxocara eggs.
• Toxocara infection can cause a range of symptoms ranging from abdominal pain, headaches and eye disorders.
• Despite media hysteria the incidence of disease is only 2 people per million of the population. However this does mean that over 40 people are affected every year, and for these individuals the results can be distressing.
• Young children are particularly at risk of infection because their play habits make them more likely to come into contact with contaminated soil. Many young children also have a habit of eating soil.
• The best course of action is to prevent our parks and open spaces from becoming infected.

So what is Melton Borough Council doing to combat dog fouling?

At the end of 2007, under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, the Council introduced a Dog Control Order which, with a few exceptions, made it an offence for a person not to pick up faeces from a dog under their control on land to which the order applies.

Penalties

Failure to pick up after your dog may result in you having to appear in court and if found guilty you could be fined up to £1000. Alternatively the Council may choose to issue you with a fixed penalty notice. Currently the fixed penalty notice charge is £75 which you must you pay within 14 days.

Melton Borough Council carry out cleaning of streets, we do this at a higher frequency near schools and in other residential areas.

Waste Management have also looked at the provision of bins. There have been difficulties in siting extra dog bins in residential areas as no-one wants such a bin in the vicinity of their house. Therefore existing small dog bins have been replaced in some areas with 1 or 2 larger combined litter/dog bins which should increase the bin capacity for both dog mess and litter. Bagged dog faeces may be placed in any public waste bin.

There are powers available to be able to issue Fixed Penalty Notices for dog fouling, however it is not always straight forward. The event needs to be witnessed by an Authorised Officer, who cannot hide to catch someone due to the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). If we wanted to carry out an ‘under cover’ investigation, we need to apply for a specific RIPA authorisation. The Government has decided that these should not be used for minor offences and unfortunately dog fouling falls into this category.

People tend to pick up after their dogs when someone is in the vicinity and may be watching them. It is often the case that offenders fail to pick up after their dogs early in the morning or late at night when it is dark and there are few people around to observe. It can be quite difficult for Officers to be in the right place at the right time, when the events are occurring at unsociable hours and in varying areas around the Borough. However we will endeavour to do what we can with the limited resources available.

It is possible for Melton Borough Council to suitably train and sanction willing volunteers to be ‘Authorised’ to serve fixed penalty notices, this has already occurred in one area of Melton Mowbray. People living in the vicinity can be the ‘eyes and ears’ of the Council at times of the day when Officers are not available.  If you feel motivated to take action then please use the contact details below to start the process.

We can make use of temporary spray pavement signs to remind dog owners to pick up after their dogs, which can help to improve the situation.

Actions

So what can you do about dog fouling?

If you’re a dog owner;

• Make sure your dog is wormed regularly.
• Where ever you are, always clear up after your dog, “bag it and bin it” using any general rubbish bin.
• Always wash your hands after touching your dog and before eating.

If you witness an event:

• Take as many details as possible and report the event, or
• Use an incident report form to report any events  that you witness, or
• Consider providing a formal witness statement, this may allow Legal Services to take action, but you need to be aware that you may need to attend Court, if a fine is not paid.
• If you are keen enough to want to become an Authorised Officer to take direct action in your area, contact Environmental Health who will commence the process and arrange the training.

If you are concerned about, or witness, dog fouling in your area you can contact Environmental Health at the Council

Further Information

For further information on dog fouling you can visit:

• Keep Britain Tidy
• Dogs Trust