The British dog population is estimated to be around 6.8 million, producing 900 tonnes of excrement per day. Dog faeces can cause toxocariasis (which can lead to serious illness and blindness), food poisoning and other diseases.
A Tidy Britain Group survey found that 80% of people questioned were "greatly concerned by dog mess".
Local surveys have confirmed that residents want the problem of dog fouling tackled by the Council.
Doncaster Council has adopted the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act, 1996 to control dog fouling in public places and to encourage responsible dog ownership.
The Doncaster Order came into force on 1st November 1999. Doncaster Council will attempt to educate dog owners to clear up after their dogs.
If persuasion does not work, habitual offenders will be investigated and prosecuted.
These include:
The offence is the failure of a person in charge of a dog to clear up its faeces "forthwith" after it has fouled on designated land.
Two important things to note:
The maximum fine for an offence is £1000.
There is no requirement to do this. However the Council has purchased a limited number of signs as part of its promotional campaign to inform the public of the new legislation. Additional signs will be purchased as and when funds permit.
There is no requirement to do this and because of the high costs involved, it is not envisaged that special bins will be provided. However, in a few high profile areas such as certain parks, bins have already been provided.
Dogs should never be allowed out in public areas unsupervised - the Council's Dog Wardens are empowered to seize and detain any stray dogs which will only be returned to their owners following the payment of all penalties/costs which are levied.
Responsible dog owners do not allow their dogs to foul public places.
Ideally dogs should be trained from an early age to "go at home" in their own garden before or after a walk rather than during.
If dog fouling occurs away from home, the person in charge of the dog must clean up after the dog. Any suitable plastic bag will do. The bagged faeces can be deposited in the nearest litter bin or taken home for disposal.
If you wish to take action against someone who has not cleaned up after their dog, you should note what has happened as soon as possible. Include the name and address of the person in charge of the dog, a description of the dog, the circumstances, date, time and place of the offence.
You can ring the Customer Services Hotline on 01302 736000 or complete the attached online form to report any dog fouling within your community that you believe requires our attention. You will need to clearly describe the place being fouled to clarify that it is covered by the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 and provide the other information previously stated.
In the first instance, the offender may be warned and this may be sufficient to deter further offences.
If fouling occurs at regular times, it may be possible for an officer to witness the fouling and take action accordingly.
Dog Fouling Online Report Form
Your dog must wear a tag by law when out in a public place.
The first time we catch your dog straying we will return it to you, free of charge. But we can only do this if it is wearing a tag, or is microchipped.
If we catch a stray dog, and we can't trace the owner, we will keep it in boarding kennels at your expense. If you do not collect your dog within seven days, you will lose the right to reclaim it, and we will try to re-home it.
All stray dogs found within the Doncaster Borough are taken to Mount Pleasant Kennels, Wakefield Road, Hampole, Doncaster. If your dog is lost, you should contact the kennels between 8.30am and 5pm any day of the week, on 01302 722748.
Any dog found straying will be picked up by the Dog Warden. If we can identify the dog immediately – for instance, if it has an identity tag, tattoo, microchip or other ID - we will normally contact the dog’s owner, and reunite dog and owner straight away. There is normally no fee for this.
If we cannot immediately identify the dog’s owner, we will register the dog and take it to local boarding kennels.
You can speak directly to an Officer as they go about their work in your neighbourhood. Simply stop one of the team - that wear a distinctive Council uniform, a red top with the council crest displayed on the front.
Call us on : (01302) 736000
Or email us : customer.services@doncaster.gov.uk
