Advice for dog owners and handlers
The majority of dog owners and handlers are
responsible and pick up after their dog's done its business,
but it's the careless few that fail to pick it up that give dogs
and their owners a bad reputation.
It is illegal to leave your dog's mess lying around in a public
area. If a dog is in your care for any length of time, it is your
responsibility to clean up its mess.
In this section you should find everything you need to know
about disposing of dog mess correctly and responsibly, and why it's
so important not to leave it on the ground or swinging in a bag on
trees and fences (yes - it does happen!)
Bag it. Bin
it - in ANY public litter bin
Bagged dog mess tied up tightly (ideally double bagged)
can be placed in ANY public litter bin or even your municipal
refuse bin at home if there isn't a public bin around.
If there are no litter bins nearby take it home and put it in
your municipal waste bin. No bin. No bag. No excuse.
ALWAYS carry
a bag when you walk your dog
Dog mess can be picked up using any plastic carrier bag
(ideally double bagged) and placed in ANY public litter
bin.
Just bag it up, tie it up, and put it in the next public waste
bin you see. Or put the bagged mess in your municipal waste bin at
home.
There's no such thing as the dog poo
fairy
Keep Britain Tidy’s research shows that in the UK there appears
to be increasing amounts of bagged dog mess being left behind as
people fail to dispose of their bags after cleaning up after their
pets.
Please bag it up and put it in any public litter bin or your
municipal waste bin at home.
Fines
and enforcement
Our enforcement team takes a zero tolerance approach to dog
fouling on public land.
If witnessed, offenders face a fixed penalty fine of £50
or a maximum penalty on conviction of £1,000.
Enforcement officers work with the public, the police and other
bodies to get the evidence they need to convict offenders.
Don't take the risk. Bag it and bin it.
Why it's important to clean up after your
dog
Health hazards; community detriment; a risk to children;
dirty - the list goes on. If you've ever wondered why councils
bang on so much about dog fouling here's why.
Top tips for dog
owners
Everything you need to know about picking up dog mess, avoiding
fines and looking after your community.
Dogstar Superstar!
To reward thoughtful dog owners, Keep Britain Tidy's dog poo
fairy will magically transform your canine companion into the next
Geri Howliwell, Justin Timberwolf, Collie Parton and Nelly
Fur-tado!
Advice for communities
Some dog owners think they can get away with not picking
up their dog's mess if an enforcement officer isn't
around - wrong! As more people come forward to report dog
fouling offences, irresponsible dog owners may start to think twice
about not picking up their dog's mess.
Dog owners who fail to pick up their dog’s mess, bag it
up and put it in the bin are letting you and your community
down. Take a stand - report it and sort it!
You can download and print our
Foul Play red card to keep in a handy place for when you need
to report dog fouling.
You can also display it in your window to send a
clear message out to irresponsible dog owners to pick up their
dog's mess.
More about dog fouling and why it cannot be
tolerated...ever.
