Council calls foul on dirty dog owners

Statistics show that the council issued 76 Fixed Penalty notices for the offence, and took 14 prosecutions for non-payment of fines in 2013-14.

The issue is a concern to many across Calderdale and the council has said said they have improved efforts to control the problem.

“We won’t hesitate to get tough on irresponsible dog owners. A range of Council staff are patrolling our parks and open spaces and have the power to issue fines – including community wardens, park rangers and cemetery staff,” Calderdale Council’s Head of Housing, Environment and Renewal, Mark Thompson said.

“We know that most dog owners are responsible and clean up after their dogs, but there are still some who don’t. If we are aware of particular problem areas we will look at stepping up patrols in those areas.”

Owners who do not clear up after their dog are fined £80, which is reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days.

Recently, Calderdale Council hasprosecuted a number of individuals for failing to clean up their dog’s mess- some of whom were fined up to £300 for failing to respond to fixed penalty notices.

Councillor Scott Benton, Deputy Leader for Housing and Environment in the Cabinet, described dog fouling as a “scourge” across all communities in Calderdale.

“The council has a number of policies to deal with this- I have been working with senior officers to see if we can refresh the procedures and policies to make sure we can continue to command confidence with these particular issues,” he said.