Dog fouling
As an authority, we recognise that the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and respectful to their local community. However, we do receive regular complaints from residents about dog fouling and the behaviour of some dogs, and we we are obliged to act upon these complaints.
If you are in charge of a dog, whether you are the owner or not, you must by law clean up after the dog has fouled in any public access area. This includes car parks, grass verges, recreation and sports grounds, parks, river walks, pavements and footpaths, gutters and carriageways, beaches. Failure to do so can result in a fixed penalty of £80 or a maximum fine of £1,000.
Dog fouling downloadable posters
Call it out, call it in, clear it up
Help us tackle dog fouling by following these three simple steps:
Call it out - If you see someone fail to pick up after their dog, call them up on it. Do it politely, perhaps by offering them a spare bag. Don't put yourself at risk.
Call it in - Report dog fouling to us online or give us a call on 01271 388870. It can help us catch and prosecute the culprits and also builds up a picture of where the problem areas are, so we know where to patrol.
Clear it up - If you aren't willing or able to call it out or call it in, if you have a spare poo bag then helping to remove the problem is a really positive contribution, no one will step in it and it keeps standards high, which helps prevent further dog fouling.
Top tips for responsible dog owners
- Be prepared every time you go out with your dog - bags, water and a torch at night
- Be prepared to help others who get caught out without a bag
- Keep an eye on what your dog is doing
- Get to know your dog's routines, it helps with poop and scoop management
- Bag it and bin it! Use degradable bags where possible
- Know your bins - use designated dog bins or any litter bins
- Take it home if you have to - don't use other people's bins without permission
- Use our strategy to tackle the issues - call it out, call it in, clear it up!
Dog bins
Although we don't have a statutory duty to provide dog litter bins or empty them, we do offer a number of dog bins across North Devon. These are emptied on a regular basis.