Dog Poo and the LAW

It is in fact LAW that dog owners pick up after their pets and yet so many show little respect for the environment and others by not abiding to it. If your dog fouls in a public place, you must clean up the mess under the Dog Act 1996. People who don’t clean up after their dog can be given an on-the-spot fine. The amount of the fine varies between different local authorities, but is often £50 and may be as much as £80. If a person refuses to pay the fine, they can be prosecuted and may face a court appearance with a maximum penalty of £1,000. Registered blind dog owners are exempt from penalties.

Did you know?

• Did you know?

• Dog waste is an environmental pollutant. Just 30g of dog poo can contain over 23 million microorganisms of bacteria. That’s twice as much as human faeces! Picking up your dog’s waste isn’t just a common courtesy, it’s a health imperative. Picking up after your dog helps reduce the likelihood of its faecal bacteria ending up in an increasingly contaminated water supply.
• Disease and viruses such as E.Coli and Coccidia can be spread in dog faeces. Again, possibly passing it on to humans, especially children playing in poo prevalent areas such as parks and woods.
• That dog poo can contain worms and their eggs. Some of them, like toxocara canis (roundworm), can cause disease or infections in humans. Just one pile of dog poo can contain a million roundworm eggs! In humans this can lead to stomach upsets, throat infections, asthma and in some cases blindness. Over 100 cases of partial blindness in children are seen every year due to toxocara canis eggs in faeces. Cleaning up after dogs and regular de-worming programme can help bring this number down.

• What’s even scarier is that only an estimated 60% of dog owners even bother to de-worm their pets! So eggs are more prevalent than ever in our environment. Check out our post “Protecting Dogs and Cats against Fleas, Ticks and Worms” for more information on the importance of regular de-worming.

What do we do with poop?

When walking always carry dog poo bags to pick up after your dog, and where possible pop the baggy into a designated dog poo bin.

We love the Great & Small Tough Poo Bags. Created to enable you to safely and hygienically clean up your dog’s poo, these are high quality, strong & scented biodegradable poo bags. They come in a range of funky colours (poo picking doesn’t have to be boring!) and with easy tie handles making it easier to keep the poo where it belongs. We also have a selection of poo bag dispensers in store to stop the ‘stuffing in the pocket’ scenario, keeping your baggies handy and available at all times.

Why not have look at the whole range of poo bags on offer here…

BUT what if there is no bin? 

Take it home!

You have all probably noticed the growing trend of trees sprouting little baggies of poo, this quite frankly is unsightly and very unhygienic. All owners, if there is not an appropriate dog poo bin should take their dogs poop home to dispose of on their return.

The best thing to do is to check with your local council as to where they would prefer you deposit you dogs poop. Many will advise that you double bag it and pop into your household waste bin. For this reason a top tip would be to always carry a biodegradable plastic carrier bag. That way as you walk you can collect up all the baggies in once place, making it easier to carry home.

What about dog poop at home?

Picking up after your pet at home should be a very regular occurrence to reduce health risks in your own back garden and smell. At least once per week your garden should be cleared of all faeces and disposed of correctly, either double bagged in bio degradable baggies and popped in the bin or scooped into a use appropriate dog loo. 
There are various version of “Doggy Toilet’s” available nowadays that allows you to dispose of your pets waste safely in your own garden without sending bags to landfill. It is the natural, safe and easy way to dispose of and breakdown dog waste in your garden. There are specific dog loos kit versions that you can purchase, or you could DIY it and build your own pet waste digester. Either route you decided to take, the key with these options for dog waste disposal is the management of the “loo” so be sure to do your research first and ensure both your garden and yourself is able to accommodate them.

Be a responsible pet owner - clean up after your dog!

NB – If you are aware of a dog fouling issue in your area, it is advised that you report it to your local authority.