Bag it and bin it: Community Wardens appeal for community support to tackle dog-fouling
Please clean up after your dog: don’t risk a fine – that’s the clear reminder to the community from the council’s community wardens as the Royal Borough gets ready to celebrate local green spaces as part of Love Parks Week.
All public, open land across the borough is covered by a new legal order, known as a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), meaning anyone caught allowing their dog to foul and not clearing up will get a £100 fixed penalty notice and risks a fine of up to £1,000 in the courts.
Over the coming weeks, the community wardens are speaking with dog walkers in local parks to remind everyone of their legal duty and the financial risks of breaking the rules, to explain how to report those who choose not to ‘bag it and bin it’, and to share ‘Top Dog Tips’ on how to ‘do walkies well’.
The PSPO also allows authorised officers to instruct a dog-owner to put their pet on a lead if it is loose and causing harassment, alarm and distress in a public space.
The law applies regardless of whether warning signage is in place.
Councillor David Cannon, cabinet member for public protection and parking, said: “We are so lucky in the Royal Borough to have many parks and public spaces to walk our dogs, and we all need to work together to keep them clean, safe and attractive for everyone.
“As we look ahead to Love Parks Week, we would like to thank the vast majority of responsible dog owners who always do their legal duty to pick up after their pets, bag it and bin it. We are also reminding people of the clear legislation in place to help us tackle that anti-social minority, who risk public health as well as a financial penalty, by allowing their dogs to foul.
“Our community wardens routinely patrol open spaces around the Royal Borough, including hotspots where dog-fouling problems have been reported. Of course, they can’t be everywhere all the time and therefore we appeal for public tip-offs to help identify offenders and target their patrols and investigations.
“They need strong evidence – not necessarily photographs. For example, a description of the dog and person walking it, the name and address if known, the location, date and time of the incident, and the registration number of any vehicle involved. All approaches will be treated in confidence.”
To report, email Anti.social@RBWM.gov.uk or call 01628 685636.