Dog fouling
If you are a dog owner or walker then you must pick up your dog's mess if it fouls in areas open to the public. This is a legal requirement as described under the Public Spaces Protection Order (Dogs) 2020 (refer to this for exceptions to picking up dog foul). If you do not then you may be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. If you do not pay the Fixed Penalty Notice then you could be taken to court and fined up to £1,000. For details please see our Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) for dog walkers pages.
To report a problem contact Customer Services:
- to report dog foul that needs clearing
- if you have witnessed dog fouling and are willing to provide a witness statement
- if you think there is a need for a dog bin in a particular place
- to report a full or overflowing dog bin.
- Dog Fouling FAQs
If you would like to put posters up in your local area, you can choose from the following selection:
Dog bag dispensers
We are pleased to be working with Tikspac to provide a solution for dog walkers who find themselves without a bag. These dispenser stations provide a back up, remove any excuse not to clean up and are 100% biodegradable. A network of dispensers will be installed across West Suffolk.
The dispensers and bags are supplied free of charge as they are sponsored by companies. They are restocked by council operatives when emptying nearby bins and it is hoped that they will reduce the amount of dog fouling not cleared up and therefore reduce the amount of clearing up the council has to do.
If you notice that any of the dispensers need refilling, please let us know by contacting our Customer Services Team
Organisations
Some organisations, such as parish councils and others who are responsible for land that is used by the general public, may encounter a dog fouling issue. We have produced a toolkit, to help those affected understand and tackle this behaviour.