Dog Owner Foul Up Results in Fine

Published on: 9 Oct, 2015
Updated on: 12 Oct, 2015

A Guildford Borough Council dog warden and a park ranger recently attended court to see the successful prosecution of a resident for failing to clear up after his dogs.

The court heard that two dogs were seen to foul on Merrow Downs and the owner failed to clean up after them. When approached by the dog warden the owner stated that he had no bags on him with which to pick up the mess.

He was given a £50 fixed penalty notice, which he failed to pay, and was sent a reminder letter that he failed to respond to. The council has not given details of the offender’s identity.

Cllr Matt Furniss:”bag it and bin it”.

The court found in favour of the council and set a fine of £200, a victim surcharge of £20, and the council made an application for costs for £950.

Cllr Matt Furniss (Con, Christchurch), lead councillor for environment, said: “Dog mess is not only unsightly, it is also a health risk, and can even cause blindness.

“There is no excuse not to clear up after your dog – if it’s wrapped, it can be disposed of in any bin. We will seek to prosecute those that flout the law and fail to ‘bag it and bin it’.”

In most areas of Guildford Borough dog walkers have to clean up immediately after their dog has fouled, under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996.

Enforcement officers patrol areas that have been reported as fouled and will look into signage, bins, clearance and, as appropriate, highlight fouling using a chalk-based red spray paint.

People caught failing to clean up can be given a £50 fixed penalty notice. If this is not paid within 14 days, or if the same person is caught in the future, the council policy is to prosecute. Dog fouling is a criminal offence and carries a fine of up to £1,000.

Responses to Dog Owner Foul Up Results in Fine

Jim Allen Reply

October 9, 2015 at 11:44 pm

Excellent news should be broadcast from the highest hills.

Too many so called ‘dog lovers’ don’t pick up and leave it for push chairs and wheel chairs to run over in in the pathway.
Brian Holt Reply

October 10, 2015 at 11:26 am

I wish they could also catch all the dog owners who allow their dogs to foul in Stoughton Rec on a daily basis.

Most houses backing on to the rec have now put their own gates in the council boundary fence, to allow their dogs in after the rec is locked at night – you can see people come through the gates with torches.

Once the rec is locked at night these residents are surely trespassing. It needs a camera to catch them.
Dave Middleton Reply

October 10, 2015 at 1:52 pm

Well done, let’s have more of this type of action.

Maybe this individual will remember to bring some bags with him (or her) in future?

I walk on Whitmoor Common regularly and I’m dismayed at the amount of dog mess that is still left around. I’m equally dismayed at the amount of mess that owners do bag up, but then leave at the side of the path, or hanging in trees and bushes like some kind of decoration, to “pick up on the way back” and then “accidentally” forget to collect.

Yes, it’s not particularly pleasant to pick up dog mess, but it’s part of dog ownership nowadays.
Gina Redpath Reply

October 10, 2015 at 8:04 pm

We made the huge mistake of having a childrens picnic on Pewley Down – awful.

Why don’t we have dog licences any more?

Not only could they now record the owner’s details, any medical condition the dog may have, they could hold the DNA of the dog = Feaces traced = owner successfully prosecuted = Expenses comfortably covered – Voila!