A Welsh council has issued just two fines for dog fouling despite receiving more than 700 reports over a three-year period.
Despite having rules in place making it an offence to fail to remove dog faeces from public access areas, Torfaen Borough Council handed out only two £100 fines for breaches of dogs on lead rules during the same period, which stretched from the 2021/22 financial year to March 2024.
During this time, the authority also received 385 additional reports of people failing to follow rules controlling dogs.
Council director Mark Thomas compared the enforcement challenges to issuing parking tickets, noting: “Where our officers are visible people tend to comply, where they are not they relapse into their old habits. It is difficult to catch.”
The council is one of only two in Wales that has given its civil enforcement officers dual responsibilities for both parking tickets and dog fouling penalties.
Officers conduct targeted patrols in areas where the public reports dog fouling incidents.
Councillor Fiona Cross acknowledged the pressure on the enforcement team, which consists of just four officers.
The Labour-run council’s cabinet has agreed to renew the existing dog control rules when they expire this December.
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Councillor Fiona Cross said the enforcement team consists of just four officers
The regulations, which must be reviewed every three years, could also be extended to new areas following public consultation.
Residents have requested controls be introduced along the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal towpath and Pontypool Park.
However, Councillor Cross expressed concern about “raising expectations” among the public by suggesting controls could be expanded to new areas, while enforcement resources remain limited.
Council leader Anthony Hunt
LGA
Council leader Anthony Hunt highlighted the real-world impact of dog fouling through his experience as a junior football coach.
“I have to clear faeces every time we play football and if it’s been raining a bit you do see people just sat in their cars,” he said.
He emphasised the serious health risks associated with dog fouling, particularly for young people.
“Dog poo can have serious consequences, especially for young people and people have gone blind when dog poo has got in their eyes,” Hunt warned.
