Barnsley Council tops list of dog fouling fines handed out in last four years

Research by Kennelstore found that Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council has issued the highest number of fines for dog fouling out of 246 local authorities.

Between 2019 and 2021, BMBC fined 445 dog owners who did not pick up after their pet.

Barnsley Council came ahead of Wirral Council who issued 430 fines, and Burnley Council who issued 366 in the same period.

Neighbouring Rotherham Council issued 108 fines, and Sheffield issued just 22.

In Barnsley, dog owners can be issued a fixed penalty notice of £100 for not picking up after their pet by dedicated neighbourhood wardens.

Councillor Jenny Platts, cabinet spokesperson for communities at BMBC, said: “We’re so grateful to all the many responsible dog owners in Barnsley who clean up after their dogs.

“We do have a really dedicated team of neighbourhood wardens and enforcement officers who work hard to make sure the minority who spoil it for everyone else are held responsible.

“If you don’t clear up after your dog we can issue you with a fixed penalty notice of £100, or prosecute you in the Magistrates’ Court where you can be fined up to £1,000, so it really is worth taking that few seconds to clear up your dog’s mess.

“Last year we also introduced a Public Space Protection Order across Barnsley to help keep our borough safe and clean.

“People in charge of a dog must remove dog waste from any public open land across Barnsley immediately, they must put their dog on a lead when asked by an authorised officer, they must keep dogs on a lead in a cemetery, they must not take a dog into a fenced or enclosed children’s play area, and they must carry with them the means to remove any dog fouling such as a waste bag.

“You can report dog fouling at barnsley.gov.uk/DogFouling. You don’t have to provide your details to make a report, but we do sometimes need more information so it’s helpful if you do.

“It’s even more helpful if people are willing to be a witness so we can prosecute the dog owner.”