Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a £50 on the spot fine for having a dog and no poo bag is a good idea?

88 replies

MothershipG · 09/10/2015 13:02

Daventry to fine dog walkers who go out without poo bags

I think that this an excellent idea and should be implemented nationally. It is so hard for local councils to fine people for dog fouling as they practically have to catch them in the act. Anyone with a dog should always be prepared for a poo pick up. I really can't see any downsides.

I know that it won't stop the worse offenders who literally don't give a shit (pun intentional Grin) but surely it would help?

I am the owner of 3 dogs so I always go equipped with multiple bags and have extras in every bag and coat pocket I own. I not infrequently get asked by other walkers if I can give them a spare, which I am happy to do, but really how hard is it to remember bags?

I also operate a system of poo karma; if I think that there is even a chance I haved missed one (tiny brown poos in a sea of brown leaves can be a challenge!) I will pick up the next random poo I come across, thus keeping the poo karma in balance.

OP posts:
lighteningirl · 09/10/2015 15:16

What happens when the poo bag police stop me and say where's your bag lightening and I say oh sorry gov already used it about a mile back and the spare. Will they go through the dog poo bin DNA test my precious pampered pooch and all the poo bags in said bin to confirm my story or am I facing the big house for having already used my bag?

MrsMook · 09/10/2015 15:17

I think it's another daft unenforceable rule (like the smoking in cars rule).

Who's going to enforce it?
If it can't be enforced effectively, would it change the behaviour of people with no intention of picking up?

kslatts · 09/10/2015 15:22

I don't really think it's a good idea. We have a dog who only poos when she is off the lead so if I am going to take her to the park I take bags and pick the poo up, but if we are walking to the post box for example I don't bother because she will be on the lead all the time. Under this scheme I could get a fine, but someone who just carries a couple of bags but has no intention of picking up the poo would avoid the fine.

LurkingHusband · 09/10/2015 16:28

Thank goodness we're only talking dogshit here. It would be terrible if it could make children go blind.

Oh, hang on ...

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxocariasis

insan1tyscartching · 09/10/2015 16:29

I think it's a daft idea. I always have a bag with me and pick up after him. He always goes on his morning walk and I always dump it in the nearest bin but if I was spotted on the way home I could be fined. Unless of course I start carrying numerous bags or the filled bag back home with me. On the one occasion he went a second time (in two years) I used paper hankies to pick it up and bin it. The regulars around our way all bag and bin but there is still dog mess lying around, most annoyingly just next to the dog waste bin Hmm Never heard of anyone being fined for not picking up around here so not sure how they will enforce the bag idea if it goes national.

whois · 09/10/2015 17:28

Great idea, wish existing laws were enforced tho.

HugoBear · 09/10/2015 18:17

YANBU.

In fact, now that it's the law to have dogs chipped I favour spot checks in public and any dog found without one results in the owner's arrest.

Said owner can then be related from prison when they have paid the costs incurred from having the animal put down.

Follyfoot · 09/10/2015 18:23

I dont carry poo bags when walking our normal route. We 'stick and flick' as almost all of our walk is in the fields. Much better for the environment too. Why should I be fined? :-/

Osolea · 09/10/2015 18:27

I don't think it's a good idea because of the fact that people could be caught after using up their bags picking up poo. It just doesn't make sense to potentially fine people who have already done the thing that you're trying to get them to do.

And, I know it's petty and irrelevant, but as a dog owner I'd resent there being a chance I could be fined because I picked up my dogs poo and have no bags left when cat owners are allowed to let their pet shit wherever they like.

PollysHoliday · 09/10/2015 18:39

It's an okay idea but as pp have said it would be easy for someone who had no intention of actually clearing up after their dog to carry a bag to avoid the fine.
And it would be easy for the person who went out with four bags to use three themselves and give another dog owner the last then head home to be caught and fined.
Who would enforce the rules? How could the enforcer prove the dog owner didn't have bags in their pockets?
When I complained to the council about sudden huge amounts of dog mess outside my neighbour's house (I think the previous tenant, who had been evicted and who owned a large dog, was actually conducting a dirty protest) all that happened was a warning sign was erected.

FyreFly · 09/10/2015 18:41

I'm not sure about it. Whilst I agree dog walkers should always have bags (I keep a bag on each lead, as well as usually having one or two about my person stuffed in various pockets), why would you fine someone whose dog HASN'T fouled and therefore who HASN'T committed any offense Confused My friends dog only poos in a certain area of her garden... would she be fined for taking him out without a bag, despite the fact that he won't / hasn't fouled? What happens if you've already used your bag(s) and cleaned up? Are they going to fine you for having done the right thing?

It seems a bit thought-crimey. I.e. you haven't actually committed an offense but you might do so we'll fine you anyway! Well I might run a red light or park on double yellows, should I be fined anyway just in case?? Confused

Ignorant buggers will be ignorant buggers regardless. I'm also interested in how they propose to enforce this. I see what they're trying to do but I personally think it's the wrong approach.

HelenF35 · 09/10/2015 18:48

Yanbu. If DP catches the fucker that lets their dog shit outside our house every few days they will have more to worry about than a fine. People that don't clean up after their dogs should it be allowed to keep them imho.

StillDrSethHazlittMD · 09/10/2015 18:51

Great idea. While they're about it, let's change the law about cats being wild animals and be able to fine owners whose cats crap in neighbours' gardens like they do in America.

Sadly, both the poo bag idea and mine are totally unenforceable, I suspect.

goawayalready · 09/10/2015 18:54

i don't think the fines need to get steeper they just need to be enforced i mean people are complaining that there is not enough money about well there is plenty of dog shit so hire some people to police it im telling you it will be a money spinner in my park just camp out for the school run moms they let them shit look at it and walk off my son shouted at the dog calling him dirty she went to say something but saw i was in a crowd of about ten pissed off parents Grin and walked away Angry

goawayalready · 09/10/2015 18:56

although i did feel sorry for a lady once her dog had already "been" twice walked past my house and shat again he had a dodgy tummy she sent her dd back to there house for bags soap and water to clean up it was a right stinky mess she was mortified

Eveysdad · 09/10/2015 19:19

Silly and unenforceable, when it is enforced it will only be on certain people any way. Just like the dog lead rule, a warden will happily tell an elderly man off for his dog not being on a lead or for not picking up crap. Is that same warden going to go tell a 6'10 skin head walking his staffy with no lead? Nope. (Can't blame them either tbh)

amarmai · 09/10/2015 19:39

what about the people who pick up their dog's poo and then leave the bag with the poo on the sidewalk ? They did bag the poo ! I doubt there is any way to stop antisocial behaviour being acted out via dogs, kids. cars .bikes etc.Antisocial fuckers will always find a way to act out.

Original poster
MothershipG · 09/10/2015 21:55

In my 9 years of dog ownership I've only once seen someone intentionally leave a poo and when I challenged them they said it was because they didn't have a bag.

So is there anything that can be done? How can we tackle this problem or do we just have to concede defeat?

OP posts:
Eveysdad · 09/10/2015 22:10

I think the problem is the policing of it? Who'd do it? The police? I think the tax payers would go crazy if the cops were fining non pooper scoopers instead of tackling burglaries, muggings etc.
That leaves civilians and I think it'd go like this,
"Scoop that poop or pay me £50"
"Go away"
"Right, tell me your name"
"No, go away"
Then what? Does the warden follow the person home?

Unfortunately I don't see anything changing for a while. Sad I honestly don't see what could be done.

sproketmx · 09/10/2015 22:53

Sometimes you run out though. I know I've wen out with multiple and spares and still run out and ended up sending one of the kids into a shop to buy a poke of crisps and us all stuffing our faces with them just to empty it and use it to pick it up

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 09/10/2015 22:57

I think it's a lazy idea to be honest. They need to police people actually picking up poo.

Otherwise the non poo packers will just carry an empty bag and not pick up poo still but never get fined.

If my dog normally does two poos and i take 4 bags out with me just in case. If one day I need those extra bags when she does the 4th poo what happens if I'm then nearly home and im stopped? Do I get fined?

Some people in that position won't use their last bag then, as they won't want to risk getting stopped without a bag.

WhoTheFuckIsSimon · 09/10/2015 23:00

Even the police don't have the right to stop and search you unless they have a reason to suspect you've committed a crime.

So I would love to know how a dog warden can.

Original poster
MothershipG · 10/10/2015 07:19

Completely OT, but I've never heard of a poke of crisps, what a fantastic expression. Smile Is that a local word Sprocket?

Now back to the topic - our inability to come up with any ideas to prevent dog fouling. Sad

OP posts:
sproketmx · 10/10/2015 20:40

Haha yes it is I'm

A ) scottish and
B) common

Poke of crisps, pocket of chips from the chippy, poke of sweeties like pick and mix etc. Sometimes if I'm on here and texting locals at the same time I muddle my words and use ones that are used in my circle. A few others are shan and Barry. If somethings shan its

sproketmx · 10/10/2015 20:40

Shite but if somethings Barry it's great

Swipe left for the next trending thread