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

[MothershipG]

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 ) 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.

Re: preventing dog fouling in general - are there enough bags and bins dotted around? It's really not a huge problem where I live.

Obviously population density is going to make a big difference (am in Aus), but our council provides lots of free biodegradable bags attached to posts, and plenty of bins. I pass several points where I can stock up on bags or dispose of used ones, while I'm walking my dog. Is it not that simple?

I loathe dogs and dog shit BUT with my kindest head on I can imagine it would be possible to forget (like I've forgotten nappies/wipes/spare clothes when out with my kiddies).
I think we need a dog tax that pays for shit cleanups, dog wardens/community police etc. appreciate that penalises responsible owners too but we have got to pay for the expense of policing this problem!

I'm in Au too, and the penalty for not carrying a poo bag is $200 on the spot. And that means carrying one, not, "I've just used mine".

To off-set the penalty, all off-leash areas and beaches have rolls of poo bags and bins to put them in. As well as taps and bowls of water for the dogs.

The stick and carrot approach works well, and it's rare indeed to see dog shit on the pavement.

I like the idea of something which encourages poo picking. Where we walk ddog, the first 10m or so is foul as loads of people don't clean up. Pisses me off, as DDs love "off-roading" but I can't let them go on the grass as it's covered in shit. If it were only the one walk it wouldn't matter so much as we could avoid it but it's true of most of the walks.

However, I'm not sure about this idea. For instance, I usually take 3 or 4 bags with me. Several days ago I had 4. DDog usually poos once, but she went twice so I used 2. I gave one to someone else who didn't have one and needed it. And then near the end of the walk there was a big shit right in the middle of the path so I decided to use my remaining bag to get rid of it as it was so revolting left where it was.
If I'd been caught in that last bit I could have been fined, yet the walk was cleaner at the end than when I set out. If I'd thought the fine was a possibility then I'd have left that last crap where it was just to ensure I had the bag.

We're rural and despite the path being one giant dog turd in places that doesn't get policed. How is this going to work any better?

I don't understand how people can police it. As others have said, stop and searches would be needed surely?

I always have them on me, I think I've forgotten twice in over 6 years +. One time I just forgot but he didn't go. The other time I had gone to get him from the vets. He had been poorly and there for a while and it was only 2 mins around the corner. He went and did a great big steaming poo in front of someone's driveway because he had been crated and been holding it in all day as they hadn't taken him out. I used a bit of kitchen roll out my pocket

Just lost my post so will try again.

So how is this going to be policed?

Are the PSOs, I assume it'll be PSOs, going to be able to search people if they refuse to show their poo bags and if you refuse to be searched, are you going to be arrested?

I was under the impression that stop and search can only be implemented if the officer involved has justifiable reason for suspecting you have committed a crime. Having a dog on the end of a lead is not a reasonable justification for suspecting someone of committing a crime.

If you have cigarettes in your pocket and you carry them into a public building are you deemed guilty of being likely to smoke them inside the building. It's just as stupid.

How many people have been find by this council for allowing their dogs to foul on the pavement and in parks. Very few I imagine.

Yet another stupid unenforceable law.

I would add that I always pick up my dog's poo and always have a large bunch of poo bags in my pocket or bag when walking my dog.

Ridiculous idea:

Councils don't have enough cash to pay for dog wardens, so who's going to fund/police this?

Stop and Search laws are already tight - are they going to relax them?

If the owner refuses to pay, will it go to court?

If it goes to CPS are they going to take it to court if the owner says "I'd only just used my last bag"

Will the National Trust stop promoting "stick and flick?" In fact if the CPS did take an owner to court, could the owner then counter claim against the NT?

Its just a 'lip service' law.

waste of time the responsible dog owner always picks up the others will continue to walk on and ignore it, there are fines for not picking it up but I have never heard of anyone ever being fined. What if you accidentally drop the bags or your dogs shits 3-4 times on one walk !! then what. catch the druggies and drunks and people who litter and rape and kill etc etc

Slight diversion here, but is it an offence to allow your dog to foul on someone's grass, rather than a public space, and not clean it up? I live in a cul de sac leading to fields and over the last couple of years it has been increasingly popular for dog walkers to use this road and a gap in the hedge to get to the fields instead of using the public footpath a short walk away.
I regularly find dog poo on our front grass which I dutifully pick up and carry round to the dog poo bin, but I don't see why I should have to.
I would be interested to see who is going to enforce the Daventry rules. Do they have dog wardens over there? I live in the same county and I haven't seen a dog warden for years.

Larry to be honest I'm not sure of the legalities. I think it depends on council bylaws to be honest. I just clean it up wherever to be sure. We have "poop scoop" zones in the village (advertised on lamp posts etc with the fines detailed), which would imply that if your dog poops OUTSIDE the zone then you don't have to As a general rule, if it's on a path, in a farmers field, on a beach, on someone's verge, or anywhere it could come into contact with people, then I pick it up.

I'd be fine with it, as long as any cat found outside of its own yard is a fine for its owners as they also defecate everywhere.

I believe all pets should be microchipped and registered. That there should be fines for those that aren't. Any pets found outside of it's yard (without a leash) should be cause for a fine as well. Small fine for the first time, going up if it happens again.

You are right, skyadelic cats are more of a nuisance than dogs, but because they roam free it is hard for owners to know what they are up to.
They certainly don't bury their poo any more, and if anything it smells more foul than dog poo.