Dog fouling

If you are experiencing regular difficulties with people allowing their dogs to foul in your area you can report a dog fouling problem online or contact us in confidence by telephone for advice and assistance.

If you are reporting a dog fouling issue or offender, please provide the following information to assist us in programming our patrols and targeting our resources effectively:

• location/s and time of fouling
• owner's name and address, if known
• description of the dog, including breed and colour
• your own contact details (anonymous calls accepted also.)

Promoting responsible dog ownership

We are keen to promote responsible dog ownership and have a range of initiatives in place, including the following:

• educating dog owners as to their responsibilities
• taking enforcement action against offenders
• providing litter bins throughout the Borders for the disposal of dog fouling and general litter.
• erecting "No Fouling" signs and posters
• giving talks to primary school children/ community groups.

If you would like to request a talk or a poster please get in touch with us by using our online form.

Enforcement

Anyone allowing their dog to foul in any public area and then not picking it up prior to disposal into a suitable bin can be fined up to £40. This can escalate to £60 if not paid. There is the potential for you to end up in court if you don't comply with the law and face a fine of £500.

A team of 7 SB Wardens operate throughout the region; they are further supported by 23 council workers, all of whom have been licensed to issue fines.