Dog fouling

We've launched a campaign to combat dog fouling in Belfast.

Dog fouling is a big problem in Belfast. We receive hundreds of complaints from residents each year about dog fouling and we spend thousands of pounds cleaning up dog mess in the city.

Dog fouling is not pretty. It isn't nice to look at on our streets or in our parks, and it certainly isn't nice to step in – everyone knows this.

So, the campaign urges all dog owners take responsibility for their dogs and to clean up after them, because after all, "His business is your business".

Find out more about the campaign

If you own a dog, or are looking after a dog, it's your responsibility to clean up after it.

You should always pick waste up and put it in the nearest litter bin. You can use any plastic bag and you can use any litter bin, including your black bin at home. Please do not put dog waste in your blue or brown recycling bins as this contaminates them, meaning we can't recycle any of the items in that bin.

Don't forget, if your dog is caught fouling in a public place and you fail to pick it up, you can be fined £50.

Under the Litter (Northern Ireland) Order 1994, we can also prosecute offenders who could be fined on summary conviction up to a maximum of £500.

You should:

carry a plastic bag or 'poop scoop' with you
clean up every time your dog fouls
teach your dog to go to the toilet in your garden before you leave the house
never let your dog onto the street to foul
use special 'dog toilet areas' in parks if they are provided
respect dog-free areas.

As well as leading to dirty streets and unsafe parks, dog fouling can cause health problems in humans.

For example, toxocariasis, commonly caused by dog roundworms, can be spread to humans through contact with contaminated faeces.

The infection can enter the bloodstream and spread to the heart, liver, lungs, brain, muscles and eyes where it can cause damage, as well as breathing difficulties, asthma and, in some cases, blindness.

Help and advice

Our dog wardens can provide advice on toilet training your dog. Call them on 028 9027 0431 or email dogwardens@belfastcity.gov.uk for more information.

You can also call this number to report dog fouling in a public area. It's also useful if you can provide us with a description of the dog and its owner, the location where they were walking and the time of the offence.

His business is your business

For the 'His business is your business' campaign we've developed an outdoor advertising campaign which urges dog owners to take responsibility for their pets. The problem of dog fouling in the city could be eradicated if dog owners simply cleaned up their mess.

The campaign includes:

Outdoor billboard, bus shelter, and poster advertising
Radio advertising
Point of place messaging in our parks and walkways, and on our bins
We've also taken advantage of our many sites and placed this message in our public buildings and on our parks.

We know many residents are affected by dog mess in the city, and we hope you support this campaign, and encourage others to clean up after their dogs.

Radio advertisements

You can listen to our current radio advertisements. Each audio clip lasts for 30 seconds and opens in a new window.

Download dog fouling - is it you advertisement (MP3 - 1.2MB)
Download dog fouling - no more excuses advertisement (MP3 - 1.2MB)

If you can't hear the advertisements, you can download a transcript of the clips below:

Download transcript of dog fouling radio advertisements (Word - 25KB)