Just 11 fines issued for dog fouling in the last five years
Sunderland City Council issued just 11 fines for dog fouling in the last five years, new research reveals.
Online pet supply firm Kennel Store submitted Freedom of Information requests for every local authority throughout the UK regarding dog fouling fines between 2017 and 2021.
A total of 243 council returned data, while 53 did not.
The figures show Sunderland issued just one fine per year in 2017 and 2018, three in 2019, one in 2020 and five last year.
The study revealed that Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council issued the highest
number of penalties, with 445 owners fined during the five-year period, while 56 local authorities did not issue a single fine.
Kennel Store's Neil Hutchinson from Kennel Store said: “We know that the biggest annoyance regarding dogs in the UK is dog fouling.
"The UK is a nation of dog lovers, and with data reporting that there are an estimated 12.9 million dogs across Britain, there’s no denying that we are a country of canine companions.
“Dog fouling is illegal in the UK and the law states that being unaware a dog has fouled or not having a suitable bag is not a reasonable excuse, and could result in dog walkers being penalised.
"Not only this, but it is extremely dangerous as contact with dog excrement can cause toxocariasis – a nasty infection that can lead to dizziness, nausea, asthma and even blindness or seizures.”
A Sunderland City Council spokesperson said the authority had taken on more staff to tackle the problem.
They said: “If you fail to pick up after your dog, you could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £100 or be prosecuted, which could result in a fine of up to £1,000.
“Since April 2017, Sunderland City Council has issued 16 Fixed penalty notices to individuals who have failed to clear up after their dog and sent out 2,632 dog fouling advisory warning letters to residents, in which they’ve been reminded of their responsibilities and the action that may be taken should they fail to clear up after their dog has fouled.
“We have recently invested in a number of new enforcement staff who are proactively patrolling hotspot areas and issuing Fixed Penalty Notices to anyone who is witnessed failing to clear up after their dog.”