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Dog fouling

Home / Animals and pests / Animals / Dog fouling

Dog fouling is a crime.

It is offensive and anti-social and if not removed and disposed of responsibly, it can end up on shoes and clothing, prams, bicycles, wheelchairs and toys. 

Dog owners are encouraged to train their dogs to poo on their own property, to make it easier to clean it, bag it and bin it. 

If any dog fouls in a public place it must be immediately cleaned up using a suitable bag, before being tied and disposed of responsibly. 

There is no excuse not to clean up after any dog.

In Hull, dog owners can dispose of dog poo once bagged in any one of our 4,000 street litter bins throughout the city.

What harm can it cause

Dog fouling if not removed can be dangerous to human health, especially to children, the elderly and those with underlying medical conditions. 

When people come in to contact with dog poo, it can cause Toxocariasis. This is a parasitic infection with no known cure, which can lead to health issues ranging from dizziness, nausea and asthma to, seizures and blindness in rare cases.

You must always clean up after your dog where it fouls 

  • footpaths
  • highway (this includes grass verges)
  • cycle paths
  • public land and open spaces for example parks and playgrounds
  • car parks

If you find dog poo on your property, unfortunately it will remain your responsibility to clean this up.

How to report dog fouling

If you see someone allowing any dog to foul and not clean it up, you can report this to us using the form below.

We will investigate reports against people responsible for dog fouling and take action, so long as we can identify and locate the person responsible.

If you have witnessed anyone allowing their dog to foul and not pick it up, we will ask you to provide a witness statement. If you are unwilling to provide a witness statement, this will most likely prevent enforcement action being able to be taken and a referral for clearance only.

Any information we ask you to provide, will only be used to help us to take action against the person responsible. If you confirm you have photos or video footage, please keep this safe as you will be asked to provide this once you have completed this form.

Access here to find out more about our street scene services and reporting dog fouling to be cleared

  • request the installation of dog fouling/street litter bins
  • request dog fouling/street litter bins to be emptied 
  • removal of dog fouling 
  • repair/replace dog fouling/street litter bins
  • install stickers, signs or stencils
  • removal of litter/dog fouling on communal council housing land
Report dog fouling

Penalties

If you allow your dog to foul and fail to clean it up immediately, this may result in - 

  • £50 fixed penalty
  • prosecution and a maximum penalty of £1,000

Visit GOV.UK to find out about the penalties that can be given for dog fouling

How to pay a fixed penalty

Visit our payments page to pay your penalty charge

Dog owner responsibilities

  • always pick up your dog’s poo 
  • double bag any dog wastes and dispose of this within the nearest street litter bin
  • if you can’t find a street litter bin, take it home and dispose of it within your black wheelie bin
  • if you have a garden, always encourage your dog to go there, where you can easily clean it up, bag it and bin it
  • never allow your dog to go out alone
  • always make sure when you pick up your dog’s lead, you also take plenty of bio-degradable plastic bags, or a poop scoop and remember the rain doesn’t wash the problem away
  • report dog fouling to be cleared to us

report damaged, missing or overflowing street litter bins here

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Other Links

  • GOV.UK - Penalties
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  • Report damaged, missing or overflowing bins

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