Dogs

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is the penalty for not picking up after a dog?

  If a person in charge of a dog is witnessed by an authorised officer not picking up after the dog they may receive a fixed penalty notice of £75 for the offence. Failure to pay this notice may result in court action with a maximum fine of £1000.

• What if someone picks up after their dog, but then litters?

  If a person in charge of a dog picks up after it then they are not committing an offence under the public space protection order, but are committing an offence of littering under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005.

  For further information on littering, including how to request a litter pick, please visit the Street Care and Cleaning section of our website.

• A dog has fouled on my property. What can be done?

  Private land is not covered by the public space protection, so the council is unable to assist.

  It is the responsibility of the landowner to both ensure that dogs cannot gain access to their land in order to foul and/or to ensure that the dog owner of any that do clears up after it.

• How do I report fouling at Jeskyns Park?

  Jeskyns Park is not covered by the public space protection order for fouling as the land is owned by the Forestry Commission.

  You can report any concerns to the Park Ranger at Jeskyns for their information by emailing jeskynsranger@forestry.gsi.gov.uk, calling 01474 825118 or writing to Jeskyns Ranger, Forestry Commission, c/o Shorne Woods Country Park, Brewers Road, Shorne, Kent DA12 3HX.

• What should I do about dog fouling on communal council housing land?

  Communal council housing land (such as land, bin stores, corridors, lifts, etc.) is not covered by the public space protection order as it is not land that the public are free to access and spend time on.

  Because of this, dog fouling on communal council housing land should be reported to the Housing Officer for the area, as they may be able to deal with the issue under tenancy provisions.

  When reporting information to the Housing Officer relating to owners not picking up after their dog, it is therefore important to provide as much information as possible and, ideally, including the address of the owner.

  To find out who the relevant Housing Officer is and how to contact them, please visit the Your Housing Officer section of our website.

• There is a large accumulation of poo in my neighbour’s garden, what can be done about this?

  If the poo is in the garden of a council house, you should report it to the relevant Housing Officer. To find out who the relevant Housing Officer is and how to contact them, please visit the Your Housing Officer section of our website.

  If the poo is in the garden of a private home, you should report it to Environmental Health by emailing details and photographs to ep@gravesham.gov.uk.

  Please note that in both cases, there will need to be a long-standing and significant amount of poo for the council to be able to assist.

• Can you provide me with dog fouling signage?

  We are unable to send you signage; however this can be collected from the Civic Centre reception desk between 09:00 and 17:00 Monday to Friday.

• Do you carry out routine patrols?

  The council no longer has the resources to provide this service. Our officers will however endeavour to target its resources to patrol areas where repeated dog fouling is reported or when sufficient information is received to help identify a recurrent issue.

• A dog waste bin needs emptying. How can I report this?

  Litter bins are emptied on a regular basis as part of the council’s street cleaning service. If you notice a litter or dog bin that's overflowing or broken then you can report it to us with the exact location.