"No teeth" as enforcement around making dog owners pick up dog poo is criticised
Fareham Borough Council has said enforcement around making dog owners pick up dog poo has “no teeth”.
Members at a leisure and safer communities’ advisory panel heard that current legislation does not include making dog owners carry the “means to pick up”. Fines for dogs fouling in the Fareham borough can range from £100 for an on-the-spot fine and escalate up to £2,500 for failure to pay.
Council officer Narinder Bains said that enforcing fines is difficult to do and has no teeth. The council will potentially be asking dog owners to carry the means to pick up poo as part of an updated enforcement order from April.
Councillor Chrissie Bainbridge (Lib Dem, Portchester Castle) said, as a responsible dog owner who picks up after her dog: “It’s everywhere.
“People take the opportunity not to pick up.”
She said the staff at Wicor recreation ground spend at least an hour walking the pitches, clearing dog mess before they can mark them up for a football match for kids to play on.
The current Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) is due to expire in April. It also lists public open spaces, such as beaches where dogs are excluded, areas where dogs must be kept on a lead and that a maximum of only four dogs can be walked by one person.
The panel approved a new public consultation that will start on February 2 and will run until March 2, with results being presented to the executive in March. The survey is part of the campaign to educate and raise awareness about taking responsibility for cleaning up mess and discovering dog poo hot spots.
It will include a question asking respondents if they carry the “means to pick-up” like a scoop or doggy poo bags on dog walks.