A "disgusting habit" continues to blight communities across Merseyside as people continuously call for "action".
Residents have continued to report "disgusting" bouts of dog fouling over the years, with people becoming increasingly "fed up" with the issue, as users share their frustration on social media. Despite ongoing hard-work in areas, residents have become increasingly aggravated over the last few months and years over the lack of responsibility shown by some members of their community.
The ECHO has previously reported people being "absolutely sick to death" of seeing the dog mess on their streets, with others adding they are "disgusted" and angry". With calls for "action", Freedom of Information data has shown just how many fines have been handed out in each local authority area over the years.
READ MORE: Dog fouling laws UK: Is it illegal to not pick up your dog's poo?
The FOI results, submitted by Kennelstore, asked local authorities how many fines were issued to a person who failed to clean up their dog's mess in the last five years. Neil Hutchinson from KennelStore said: “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."
Wirral
In Wirral, the data reveals 430 fines were handed out to people from 2017 to 2021, with no data available for the last two years. The highest number of fines were in 2017 with 209 fines handed out compared to 2018 with 192 fines handed out.
Wirral Council confirmed that between 2015 and 2019, enforcement of environmental offences, such as littering and dog fouling, were carried our under contract to an external provider whereby dedicated officers used delegated powers to issue fixed penalty notices. But this contract was terminated in May 2019.
A council spokesperson added: "People can report dog fouling to the council using our online form. We have limited resources, but where hot spots are clearly identified we will target those areas to try and tackle the issue through a combination of engagement, education and enforcement. "
Knowsley
Over in Knowsley, FOI data shows in the five year period, 128 fines were handed out with 71 reported in 2017 compared to four in 2021. Knowsley's Public Space Protection Order means those found guilty of breaching are liable to a fine of up to £1,000 fine.
A Knowsley Council spokesperson said: “Dog fouling is a blight on our communities and an issue we take seriously. Enforcement Officers, who work on behalf of Knowsley Council’s Environmental Health Team, patrol areas across the borough and issue fines to those who are found to be breaching Knowsley’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO). The PSPO gives Knowsley Council the power to hold dog owners to account for dog fouling or prohibit dogs from public places such as play areas or cemeteries. The order also enforces the use of dog leads on any of the borough’s golf courses.
“Anyone found guilty of breaching the order is liable to a fine of up to £1,000. A Fixed Penalty to the sum of £100 may also be issued as an alternative to prosecution. If you would like to report dog fouling you can do so on www.knowsley.gov.uk”
Sefton
The data for Sefton revealed between 2017 and 2021, around 80 fines were handed out relating to dog fouling. Broken down further this was 12 in 2017, 38 in 2018, 20 in 2019, two in 2020 and eight in 2021. A spokesperson for Sefton Council said: "As a local authority we want our residents and visitors to the Borough to enjoy walking their pets here.
"All we ask in return is for them to clear up after their pets and abide by the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO). This ensures that dogs and humans can utilise these spaces in harmony while promoting a cleaner and greener environment which everyone can enjoy.
"We remind people that failure to comply would see owners issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £75 by Civil Enforcement Officers monitoring Sefton’s parks and highways. Environmental Enforcement Officers investigate reports and as resources allow, Cleansing Services continue to remove dog fouling during street sweeping operations.
"If you notice dog fouling, you can report it by visiting: www.sefton.gov.uk/dogs. This information is referred to Cleansing on a monthly basis to prioritise the most heavily affected areas, so they can most effectively use their limited resources. We urge all dog owners to familiarise themselves with their responsibilities under the Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)."
Liverpool
The FOI data for Liverpool showed just two fines were handed out in 2019, but data for previous years was not available. Approaching Liverpool City Council, a spokesperson confirmed that within the last five years, 100 tickets were issued.
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "Our records show that we issued around 100 tickets between 2017 and 2021. Dog fouling is a more challenging type of enforcement as officers have to witness the offence themselves in order to issue a fine. That is why we always try engagement and education where we can, and Streetscene officers regularly speak to dog walkers to offer advice and to distribute dog tidy bags. We also install signage reminding owners to be responsible."
St Helens
Around 17 fines were handed out over the last five years in St Helens, figures show. A council spokesperson said there are 502 dog waste bins across the region as well as hundreds of normal waste bins so there is "absolutely no excuse" for dog fouling.
They added: "We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of littering, fouling and fly-tipping and won’t hesitate to enforce whenever and wherever we have sufficient evidence. Our parks and open spaces are vital places and we are committed to making them as accessible and attractive to residents as possible.
"We have dedicated street cleansing and environmental warden teams out on the streets and in our green spaces every day, but ultimately it is the dog owners’ responsibility to clean up after their pet.
"It is also the case that environmental wardens must have sufficient evidence and supporting statements from complainants to issue a penalty, and so we’d encourage residents to report dog fouling to us via our Contact Centre online or by calling 01744 676789.”
