Getting tough on foulers

Christchurch Council is taking the issue of dog fouling more seriously following two fixed penalty notices issued to the same person.

The council has now declared that any person that is known to be a repeat offender will not be given the option of paying a fixed penalty of £50 but will be reported for prosecution. Conviction could lead to a fine of up to £1,000.

Six fixed penalty notices have been issued for dog fouling this year. Two at Steamer Point Nature Reserve, one at Mudeford Recreation Ground, one at Monkswell Green, one at Christchurch Quay and one at Stanpit Marsh. The notices at the latter two places were to the same person. 

Cllr Ray Nottage, portfolio holder for a safe and healthy community at Christchurch Council, said: “It’s often more difficult to catch offenders because they allow their dog to do its business at night or when there’s no one around. However the unpleasant evidence is left behind, sometimes in places where children could be playing.

“Up until recently we’ve taken a view that we should be educating people into realising how anti-social it can be not to pick up after your dog and have done poster campaigns and given warnings. But now we are going to get tough, particularly with people who are repeat offenders.”