This is why dog fouling reports have dropped by 70 percent in five years in South Ribble

South Ribble Borough Council dealt with 1,659 reports from 2017 to 2021, which have plummeted from 602 to 197, an FOI reveals.

This is despite just four fines being issued to pet owners over the same time period. Three people were hit with a fee in 2017, with just one last year, according to data requested by Kennelstore.

Coun Aniela Bylinski Gelder, Cabinet Member for Communities, Social Justice and Wealth Building, says officers have turned to other means to tackle the issue, such as awareness campaigns and frequent patrolling.

Coun Bylinski Gelder said: “We take the cleanliness of our streets very seriously and dog fouling unfortunately – as a result of irresponsible dog owners – is an issue.

“The number of dog fouling incidents in the borough over the last five years have drastically reduced – which is great. In 2017, we introduced Public Space Protection Orders and we delivered a campaign of education with the public.

“We’ve also altered the way we react to reports of dog fouling and now remove mess a lot quicker than previously. Our Neighbourhood Officers also patrol problem spots regularly and speak with dog walkers. We are also currently considering proactive enforcement as we know that dog fouling is a plight in our community.

“While we are doing all we can to tackle the problem, we’d ask all dog walkers to do the right thing and clean up after their animals. If anyone does spot dog mess, it can be reported on our website at www.southribble.gov.uk.”