Thousands of dog walkers stopped over fouling in enforcement checks

Thousands of dog walkers on Wearside have had to prove they have dog waste bags to avoid council enforcement under renewed local authority powers which came into force last year.

- by Chris Binding

Tougher enforcement rules say thousands stopped for checks on whether they had bags to clean up their dog's waste.

In May 2024, a renewed public spaces protection order (PSPO) was introduced across Sunderland, giving the council beefed up enforcement powers, including measures around dog control.

Sunderland City Council has previously seen low levels of fixed penalty notices issued to dog walkers who fail to pick up after their dogs.

Despite the council issuing some fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for dog fouling offences, council officers and city leaders have previously said dog fouling is a "difficult" offence to enforce, as a council officer has to witness it.

Under renewed PSPO powers, an offence was carried over around dog walkers being required to prove they have "suitable means to pick up after their dog has fouled", such as dog waste bags, and that failure to do so could lead to formal action.

Since the citywide PSPO came into force in May 2024, there have been more than 2,600 incidents of dog walkers being asked this question by council officers, according to new data obtained via a Freedom of Information (FOI) request.