With 34% of UK households owning a dog, there are a lot of pooches being taken out on their daily walks that need picking up after.
However, one in 25 Brits admit to never picking up after their dog, and one in three are unaware that dog fouling in public places is against the law.
New research by the pet insurance team at Comparethemarket reveals the worst places in the UK for dog fouling and which areas issue the most Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs)* for doing so.
Glasgow comes out as the worst place for dog fouling, with over 2,000 complaints reported to the council every year, totalling 10,657 in the last five years. According to the findings, Northumberland, Manchester and Belfast are also among the worst places for dog fouling in the UK.
Top 10 areas with the most reports of dog fouling:
| Locations | Average Yearly Reports |
| Glasgow | 2,131 |
| Northumberland | 1,328 |
| Manchester | 1,168 |
| Belfast | 1,075 |
| North Lanarkshire | 990 |
| Clydach Vale | 989 |
| Sunderland | 956 |
| Liverpool | 922 |
| Wigan | 904 |
| Caerphilly | 743 |
Dog owners could receive a FPN and have to pay a fine if caught not picking up after their dogs. Glasgow again tops the list for the area where dog owners are most likely to receive a FPN for dog fouling, with 24% of complaints leading to owners receiving a notice – that’s an average of 513 FPNs per year.
Top five areas with the most FPNs
| Locations | Average Yearly FPNs |
| Glasgow | 513 |
| Clydach Vale | 181 |
| Barnsley | 103 |
| Ards and North Down | 82 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | 55 |
Not cleaning up after a dog could land owners with a FPN of up to £100 or a fine of £1000 if prosecuted.
When it comes to the areas with the most prosecutions, first place is taken by Barnsley, where 70 owners were prosecuted for dog fouling in the last five years, followed by Clydach Vale in a close second, where 68 dog owners were prosecuted – but this is less than 1% of all complaints.
Commenting on the research, Anna McEntee director at Comparethemarket says: “As well as choosing the right pet insurance, it’s important to be aware of the other responsibilities as a dog owner when out and about in public.
“Dog fouling, along with things like not being in control of your dog or not having them on a lead in designated areas could result in a maximum fine of £5,000, depending on the law broken and the situation.”
To find out more about the research, including the most common dog laws overlooked by owners, please visit: Worst Places in the UK for Dog Fouling | Comparethemarket
