*

Dog fouling

It is every owner’s moral duty and legal responsibility to clean up after their dog. If your dog fouls in a public place please clean it up. There are dog waste bins around the Borough to make it easier for you.
 
The Law
 
We have the power to prosecute under the Dogs - Fouling of Land - Act 1996. This Act allows for a fixed penalty fine of £50. In certain circumstances offenders can be taken to court where the maximum fine is £1000 + a criminal record. 
 
Parks
 
The offence and anger fouling causes to the general public is so great that letters of complaint on the subject are received daily by MPs and councillors across the UK. While these complaints have sometimes resulted in more special bins being provided and awareness raising projects being funded, they have also resulted in campaigns and policies, which punish not only the guilty owners and their dogs, but all dog owners.
 
The Countryside
 
Dog mess is not only a problem in our towns and urban areas. Some owners, visiting the countryside, seem to forget about their duty when they are out of town. The mess of visiting dogs often surrounds car parks at popular beauty spots and public open spaces, often the same areas where people picnic and children play. Wherever you are, you must always collect and dispose of your dog’s mess.
 
Toxocariasis
 
Fears about the danger to human health from dog faeces have spread throughout the population although most people’s knowledge of the rare Toxocara canis infection is limited to hearsay and media reports. However, the facts are:
 
  • The eggs of the Toxocara worm, if deposited in soil, can lie dormant for up to three years, they are highly resilient to temperature changes and chemical disinfectants have little effect on them.
  • In tests five per cent of dogs were found to expel Toxocara worm eggs
  • Of this five per cent, the majority were puppies between two weeks and six months of age or pregnant bitches
  • As the eggs of the Toxocara worm take over two weeks to hatch and become active, there are no health risks to you from immediately clearing up after your dog
  • Foxes and cats also act as hosts to the Toxocara worm
  • Toxoplasmosis can also be caught from eating raw or undercooked meat, unpasteurised goat’s milk products and food contaminated by infected faeces
 
Solutions
 
Possible solutions to the problem of dog fouling include:
 
  1. If you have a garden, teach your dog to go there before you leave home. The faeces can then be put straight into your dustbin or digested in a sunken dog loo.
  2. Always carry the means to clear up after your dog. Research shows that simple plastic bags are far more convenient, more effective and cheaper than most poop scoops. Your bags should be as unforgettable as a lead when you take your dog out.
  3. Every time your dog fouls, ‘bag it and bin it’, whether it is in a park, wood, path or roadside gutter. Remember the rain does not wash it away.
  4. Respect your Local Authority rules on dog-free areas. Dogs cannot read signs, so it is up to you to keep them away from children’s play areas and sports pitches. If dog-waste bins are provided, then use them.
  5. Never let your dog out alone to ‘go to the loo’. This should go without saying, but it does still happen. Apart from the fouling problem, you may never see your companion again.
  6. Get involved when your Local Authority is considering new rules on dog access. Keep an eye on the announcements in your local paper. If positive views, opinions and the benefits of dog ownership are not presented, they will never be considered.
  7. Get your dog wormed. Visit your veterinary surgeon for advice on the products suitable for your pet and the frequency of doses.
  8. Politely but firmly encourage guilty owners you meet to do their duty. You do not need to be rude, simply offer them one of your bags: embarrassment over their unacceptable behaviour often gets results.
  9. Always wash your hands after walking your dog and before eating. While Toxocara infections are very rare and are more likely to affect children because of their play habits. Remember adults can become ill too.
 
More details
 
For more information contact our Animal Warden on 0118 974 6382 or 0118 974 6766.

Wokingham Borough Council, Civic Offices, Shute End, Wokingham, RG40 1BN.   
Telephone: (0118) 974 6000    Minicom: (0118) 974 6991    Email: wokinghambc@wokingham.gov.uk