Grantham pet expert encourages owners to pick up their dogs poop

Pick up your dog’s poop to prevent the spread of disease, writes Grantham pet expert Sara Barnes of Who Lets Your Dogs Out?

As I write this, I have just finished a dog walk and cleaning dog poop off my shoes! There is always someone complaining on social media about dog poop being left on their lawn, the local parks and streets etc.

For me I was caught in the fields. I was walking on a public footpath along the side of a field and having played dodge the piles of poop, I got caught by one!

In England and Wales, the current law that covers dog fouling is called the Dog Fouling Act of 2016. It places responsibility on "the person in charge of the dog" at the time of the misdemeanour. So, even if the dog you are walking is not yours, you are still liable for the fine if you do not clear up after them. So, whoever is walking the dog then make sure they are armed with poo bags and prepared to pick it up

Now more often than not I will pick up any I find as I walk around the fields, but I have to say this is a problem that gets worse in the summer, and I do begrudge carrying a dozen bags of dog waste that isn’t from the dogs I am walking.

Under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 local authorities can introduce public space protection orders making it an offence to not clean up dog fouling in specific areas. Those not cleaning up after their dog may face an on-the-spot fine of up to £80. These fines are known as fixed penalty notices. These can escalate to £1,000 if not paid and court action is taken. The problem with this is the policing of this and the spaces.

Apart from the fact that dog fouling is a nuisance, it is associated with various diseases the symptoms of these diseases include including diarrhoea, cramping, abdominal pain, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and fever. And let’s be honest none of us want any of these, and the simplest way to help prevent this is pick up your dog’s poop!