Four council fines for dog waste in three years

The areas with the highest dog fouling reports in the region were Kettering and East Northants

A council has issued just four fines for dog fouling in three years, despite complaints more than tripling over the same period.

Less than 2% of dog waste reports from 2022 to 2024 resulted in a fine being issued by North Northamptonshire Council.

Reports of dog fouling in North Northamptonshire rose significantly since 2022, from 51 complaints to 174 in 2024.

The council said it takes dog fouling "seriously" and prioritises education to change public behaviour.

Anyone who fails to clear up after their dog could be handed a Fixed Penalty Notice of up to £100 from North Northamptonshire Council.

The council received 293 complaints through the time period with former Kettering and East Northants districts recorded the highest number of complaints last year, with 52 reports each.

Corby saw complaints rise from one in 2022 to 20 in 2024, while Wellingborough recorded 50 reports last year, up from 15 two years prior.

The latest data was obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service through a Freedom of Information (FoI) request.

In December 2023, the local authority introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order covering the entire area which provides officers with enhanced enforcement powers to penalise irresponsible dog ownership, including failing to clean up dog mess.

Under the rules, offenders can be fined up to £100.

'Take dog fouling seriously'

The council confirmed all four fines issued were paid in full, generating £280 in total.

A spokesperson from the council said: "The council takes the matter of dog fouling seriously and takes a graduated enforcement approach.

"Resources are focused on education rather than formal enforcement in the first instance."

In the west of the county, another FOI showed West Northamptonshire Council handed out just 10 penalty notices for dog fouling offences in the last two years.