Dog owners to face £100 fines for leaving waste

Dog owners in South Holland are to face fines of up to £100 if they fail to pick up their pets' poo under new rules.

South Holland District Council’s cabinet has agreed to introduce a district-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) on dog controls in a bid to ensure a "cleaner, safer environment" for residents.

Under the order, dogs will not be allowed in enclosed children’s play areas and owners will need to provide evidence they have a "suitable receptacle" or other means to pick up dog waste.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the order starts with immediate effect but will be enforced on 1 February 2025.

During a meeting on Tuesday, councillor Anthony Casson, portfolio holder for public protection, said: “This is an important step to tackle environmental issues like dog fouling, and it’s something that is working well in Boston and East Lindsey.”

A six-week public consultation, which ended last month, received 419 responses, with the vast majority of residents in favour of the PSPO.

Nearly 85% said they felt there was a problem with dog fouling in public areas in South Holland, while more than 90% were in support of a proposal to make it an offence not to pick up dog waste.

“We recognise that most people act responsibly when exercising their dogs, however complaints about dog fouling, and the positive response from the public consultation, support us taking action," said Mr Casson.

Councillor Bryan Alcock suggested adding signs urging dog owners to take waste bags home, noting that, in some cases, bags were not strong enough to hold the contents, making it a “very unpleasant” job for those emptying the bins.

“We expect people to take other rubbish home with them,” he added.

Councillor Andrew Woolf highlighted a scenario where if a dog owner goes out with one waste bag, uses it, and then gets stopped, they could be liable for a fine.

He advised that owners should take multiple bags with them while out walking.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.