Dog Fouling - A Perennial Problem

The Council is receiving reports of dog fouling at a number of locations across the Parish, with the area around Chestnut Grove a seemingly particular 'hot spot' at the present time. Regrettably the Parish Council has no powers to act against the irresponsible dog owner(s)/walker(s) nor the responsibility for clearing up the mess.

Dartford Borough Council may however be able to take action in certain circumstances abd the following information from its website may be of interest to concerned residents -

Allowing a dog to foul in a public place is not a crime, but failure to clean up afterwards is. This applies to almost everywhere except agricultural and forestry land.

In most cases we will warn offenders in writing and this is usually sufficient to deter further offences. With sufficient evidence against a persistent offender or those who refuse to pay an on-the-spot-fine, we will not hesitate to prosecute - this could lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

If you witness someone failing to clean up after their dog, you should note what has happened as soon as possible and include the following information when contacting us:

• Name and address of the person in charge of the dog
• What the owner / handler was wearing when the incident occurred
• A description of the dog
• The date and time of the offence
• An accurate description of the location and the incident

If the fouling occurs at regular times, you may be asked to provide the council with written evidence and be prepared to attend court if necessary.

Report your observations to us as soon as possible.