Under the Dog (Fouling of Land) Act (1996) the person in charge of a dog, whether they are the owner or not, must clean up after the dog has fouled in any area to which the Act, as adopted, applies. It is an offence not to clean up, where the Act applies, punishable by a maximum fine of £1000 or a fixed penalty of £50.

It is an offence not to clean up in the following areas:	The Act does not apply to:
Car parks	Land to which the public does not have access
Grass verges	Carriageways with a speed limit of over 40 mph and adjoining verges
Parks	Marshland, moor or heath
River walks	Rural common land
Pavements and footpaths	Woodland or agricultural land
Recreation and sports grounds	-
Pedestrian areas	-
Gutters and carriageways	-
Beaches	-

Quite apart from being unpleasant, dog faeces can present a serious health hazard particularly to young children.

At home

Set aside a part of your garden and train your dog always to use it. Faeces can then be disposed of in a purpose–dug hole, covering each time with a little soil, or flushed down the toilet. If you don’t have a garden, train your dog to use a tray of fuller’s earth.

Visit the Pet Planet Website for innovative Dog Training Aids or visit their Dog Hygiene Products section.

On walks

When walking a dog always carry a poop scoop. Then place any faeces in a dog-waste bin or take them home. If this is not possible, double wrap the faeces in two plastic bags and place in a litter bin.