Video footage not enough to fine people for dog fouling says Bedford Borough Council


It added that applies even if there’s a “perfect description” or video footage.
The council believes part of the problem is down to witnesses not wanting to be called on in court – where their identity would be revealed to the person they have complained about.
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Hide AdA response to a Freedom of Information request showed that the number of fixed penalty notices (FPN) for not picking up after their dog matched the number of times a council officer witnessed the offence.
Last year, there were 55 complaints but only two FPNs were issued, and in 2022, there were 14 FPNs, and 14 incidents witnessed by council officers
The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) asked the council why residents should bother reporting the issue, and how witnesses can provide the information needed to make a FPN more likely.
A council spokesperson said: “Fixed Penalty Notices are issued by our Enforcement Officers for littering, fly-tipping, spitting, urinating, cycling in a restricted area and dog control order offences.
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Hide Ad“Reports from residents, along with our own intelligence, allow us to be aware of hot spots in Bedford Borough.
“We then consider how best to deploy our resources and send our Enforcement Officers to where they are most likely to witness an offence.
“A number of these reports are that there is fouling on the ground and a need for cleansing rather than any details of the offender.
“In these cases we would not expect to be able to issue a FPN.
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Hide Ad“The most common reason for a report with details on an offender not leading to a FPN, is the lack of a witness statement following the report.
“Even if we are provided with a perfect description, video footage, and/or the offender’s full name in the initial report we cannot issue an FPN without a witness statement.
“We often find that people who report dog fouling choose not to provide a witness statement as it could potentially be used in court and they may be called as a witness.
“During court proceedings the offender would also learn the name of the person who reported them,” they said.
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Hide AdThe Dogs Trust said it believes the “vast majority” of dog owners are responsible and pick up their dog’s mess when out and about.
And it “fully supports” measures put in place by local authorities to help ensure that public spaces can be enjoyed by everyone.
“When it comes to dog fouling, we would always encourage owners to pick up after their dog and be considerate of their local community,” a Dogs Trust spokesperson said.
“We work closely with local authorities and provide free boxes of poo bags, posters and leaflets, to encourage responsible dog ownership and the importance of picking up after your dog.”
Dog faeces can cause toxocariasis, an infection which can affect children between 18 months and five years old.
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