With the summer months approaching, and many of us considering walks in the warmer weather, research has revealed the areas in the UK where you’re most likely to stumble upon, or step in, dog foul.
The study by Comparethemarket reveals the UK’s hotspots for dog fouling, as well as which area issues the most fixed penalty notices for doing so.
Glasgow comes out as the worst place for dog fouling reports, an average of 2131.4 per year. According to the research, Northumberland (1328.3), Manchester (1168), and Belfast (1075.3) are also some of the other worst areas for dog fouling in the UK.
The table below shows the UK areas with the highest number of dog fouling reports on average, and in total from 2017-2021.
Top 10 areas with the most reports of dog fouling
| Area | Average Reports | Total Reports (2017 -2021) |
| Glasgow City Council | 2131.4 | 10657 |
| Northumberland County Council | 1328.3 | 5313 |
| Manchester City Council | 1168 | 5840 |
| Belfast City Council | 1075.3 | 4301 |
| North Lanarkshire Council | 990 | 3960 |
| Clydach Vale Council | 988.6 | 4943 |
| Sunderland City Council | 955.6 | 4778 |
| Liverpool City Council | 921.5 | 1843 |
| Wigan Borough Council | 903.6 | 4518 |
| Caerphilly County Borough Council | 743 | 3715 |
As part of their research, Comparethemarket also conducted a survey1 which revealed that one in 25 people (4%) never pick up after their dog, and more than 1 in 10 admit to not picking it up sometimes (12%). What’s more, one in three (32%) being unaware that dog fouling in public places is actually against the law!
Meanwhile, it turns out Glasgow yet again tops the list for the area where you’re most likely to receive a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for dog fouling with an average of 512.6 FPNs per year. The table below shows the top five UK areas ranked by FPNs.
Top 5 areas with the most fixed penalty notices
| Area | Average FPNs | Total FPNs (2017 -2021) |
| Glasgow City Council | 512.6 | 2563 |
| Clydach Vale Council | 181 | 905 |
| Barnsley City Council | 102.8 | 514 |
| Ards and North Down Borough Council | 82 | 164 |
| Dumfries and Galloway Council | 54.6 | 273 |
Commenting on the research, Anna McEntee from the pet team at Comparethemarket, says: “There’s nothing worse than enjoying a lovely summer’s day walk to only realise that you’ve actually stepped in another dog’s mess – it’s one sure way to ruin your day!
“As dog owners, you bear the responsibility of cleaning up after your pet. Another thing that’s also extremely important as an owner is making sure that you’re prioritising your dog’s health and have the correct pet insurance in place should anything happen.”
To find out more about the research including the most common dog laws overlooked by owners, please visit: https://www.comparethemarket.com/pet-insurance/content/dog-fouling/
