Dog Fouling

Dogs under the control of considerate dog owners have always been and will continue to be welcome in parks and open spaces. However, to Chichester District has introduced three Dog Control Orders to control irresponsible dog ownership covering fouling, excluding dogs from certain areas and putting dogs on leads where requested. The problem of dog fouling in public places is now becoming a major concern for many people.

• Dog fouling - the problems
• Dog fouling - the answer
• Garden accumulation

Dog  fouling - the problems

• More than 250,000 tonnes of dog faeces are deposited in the country each year.
• If left in parks and open spaces, this can be both unpleasant and a health hazard.
• Dog mess may cause problems to users of parks, play areas and sports grounds.
• Faeces can carry and transmit disease to children particularly toxocariasis which can cause blindness.

Dog fouling - the answer

Chichester District Council has a Dog Control Order that requires anyone in charge of a dog to clean up immediately after the dog fouls on any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access. A copy of the Dog Control Orders can be viewed at (link) or at any of the Council Offices.

Failure to clean up after your dog is an offence. Anyone seen allowing their dog to foul and not cleaning up after it will be approached by the Council's Dog Warden or other authorised officers and issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £50. The owner will have the opportunity to pay the fixed penalty and thereby avoid conviction. If the fixed penalty is not paid, the owner may be prosecuted and if found guilty of the offence, fined a maximum of £1,000.

As is often the case, it is the few irresponsible dog owners who ruin it for the rest. The Dog Wardens will investigate complaints from the public. If you can provide details of time/day, location, a description of the owner and the dog, if possible a car registration number, we can investigate complaints about offenders. Any complaint to the Council is treated confidentially.

If you require further information on the Dog Control Orders, please contact the Dog Warden.

To encourage dogs owners and anyone in charge of a dog to clear up after the dog the Council and some parish councils and land owners have installed a number of dog bins across the District. The bins are red with a dog logo on the front.

Increasingly we are getting complaints of bags of dog faeces being hung on branches. This is not clearing up after your dog and this would be treated as an offence for which formal action may result.

Several types of poop scoops for removing dog waste are available from all pet shops and some supermarkets. The most common type of poop scoop is an ordinary plastic bag or nappy sack, because they are cheap and easy to use.

Signage in or near the area will explain the Dog Control Order in more detail.

Garden accumulation

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 it is an offence to allow large quantities of dog faeces to accumulate in your garden as it may cause a problem through smell, flies etc to your neighbours. Small amounts of dog faeces can disposed of in domestic refuse, as long as it is in a sealed container e.g. plastic bag.

Hopefully any problem can be dealt with informally. If however, this is not the case, the Environmental Health Service may serve an abatement notice under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 which would require the owner or occupier of the premises to clear the garden of all dog faeces and maintain it clear of dog faeces. Failure to comply with the notice may result in prosecution.