Stunning orange and red colours, a chill in the air, the crunch of fallen leaves - there’s nothing better than a cosy Autumn walk with your family. That is, until someone forgets to pick up after their furry friend and you find yourself a victim of dog fouling. Ruining the environment, people’s clothes and, often people’s day, the clue is in the name - dog fouling, is truly foul!

To shine a light on the issue of dog fouling and to encourage pet owners to take care of their environment, we've mapped the 25 worst spots in the UK for dog fouling over the last decade.

Analysing dog fouling reports, Fixed Penalty Notices, prosecutions, service requests and complaints obtained through Freedom of Information requests sent to every City, District and Borough Council in the UK, Everypaw Pet Insurance have found that the UK’s worst spots for dog fouling over the last decade are Edinburgh, Manchester and Sunderland.

With a total of 23,803 Street Cleansing Dog Fouling Service Requests, Street Enforcement Dog Fouling Service Requests, FPNs and reports, *Edinburgh is the worst place for dog fouling in the UK over the last 10 years. Street Cleansing Dog Fouling Service Requests have occurred in play areas, parks, streets, allotments and even a school.

Edinburgh is also the worst place for dog fouling in 2023 so far, with a total of 1,141 Street Cleansing Dog Fouling Service Requests. Averaging around 142 per month, this is up by almost 32% on 2013, where they received a monthly average of around 107.

Coming in second is **Manchester, with a total of 11,765 reports, FPNs and prosecutions. 2016 saw the highest number of reports, totalling 1,434, while in 2023 (up to August), there have been 738 reports. Averaging around 92 per month, this is up by almost 19% on 2013, where they received a monthly average of around 77.

Rounding up the top three is Sunderland*** with 10,424 reports, FPNs and prosecutions. So far, in 2023, there have been 927 reports, FPNs and prosecutions which is almost 10% higher than the total number for 2022, despite the 2023 data only being available up to August.

Other notable cities, districts and boroughs making the list include:

• London Borough of Hillingdon (12th)  - Hillingdon has reported 4737 dog fouling incidents over the last decade, with 168 being recorded between January-August 2023.
• Wolverhampton City (18th) - Wolverhampton has received a total number of 3194 reports, FPNs and prosecutions, with most reports of dog fouling occurring on pavements.
• Barnsley Metropolitan Borough (23rd)  - Despite data only being available from 2018, the total number of reports, FPNs and prosecutions* in this time was 2183, meaning it still made the top 25 list.

We also found that over the last three months, there has been a 29% increase in online searches for ‘how to report dog fouling’, while searches for ‘reporting dog mess’ have risen by 50% over the last year. With more and more people becoming concerned about dog fouling, we urge pet owners to take care of the environment and pick up after their dogs when out on wonderful walks.

Taking care of a dog is a significant responsibility, and one of the most important duties any owner will have is taking them for daily walks. We hope by highlighting the worst dog fouling spots in the UK, more people are encouraged to pick up after their dogs and keep the environment clean while enjoying walks with their furry friends.

Dr Anna Foreman's View

It's a foul subject, there's no getting around it, so we asked our in-house vet, Dr Anna Foreman for her expert opinion on the dangers of dog fouling and her advice on how to safely dispose of it, including using biodegradable bags and washing with water to dilute contamination.

Can Dog Poo Transmit Diseases to Humans or Other Animals?

Yes, dog faeces contains bacteria, and may contain parasites, which can be transmitted to humans, other dogs, and other animals. Dog faeces contains bacteria such as Enterobacter, E. coli, and Campylobacter, and if the dog is raw fed then salmonella may also be present. Parasites include worms (tape and round) and protozoal parasites such as Giardia. A particularly dangerous worm is toxocara, which can cause blindness and other neurological problems. If a dog has a viral condition such as parvovirus, this can also be transmitted to other dogs.

How Careful Should You Be Picking Up Dog Poo?

Waste should be picked up in a bag (ideally biodegradable) in its entirety, with the owner ideally wearing gloves and/or washing their hands after doing so, even if they do not directly come into contact with the faeces. If the waste is more liquid than solid and cannot be fully picked up, then washing it into the earth with water is recommended to dilute contamination.

How Should Dog Poo Be Best Disposed?

As above, biodegradable bags should ideally be used. The waste should be disposed of in a dog waste bin if an owner is out and about, and at home in the outdoors waste bin, not the green waste bin. Dog faeces can also be composted at home. It is not recommended to flush dog poo down the toilet as it can contain parasites harmful to human health which can survive the water treatment process.

Should We Be Concerned with Dogs and Children Sharing Play Areas?

If a dog defecates in a play area, even if an owner has picked up after them, remnants can be left behind, particularly if faeces is not solid. Children who are playing in this area, touching the floor, equipment and their face and mouths, are at a high risk of ingestion of faeces. Children are generally more susceptible to disease than adults, particularly with conditions such as toxocariasis.

What to do if Your Dog Eats Their Poo

Generally, although unhygienic, dogs eating their own faeces is relatively harmless, other than possibly contaminating oral wounds they have, or resulting in translocation of lower gut bacteria to the stomach and upper intestines which can then cause a gastrointestinal upset. If dogs eat other dog’s faeces, transmission of any parasites or pathogenic bacteria present is highly likely. Direct ingestion, or poor hygiene leading to indirect ingestion, are the main reasons that if one dog in the household falls ill with an infectious gastroenteritis, other dogs will too.

What are the Best Ways to Clean and Disinfect Areas Contaminated with Dog Waste?

As mentioned above, if grass is contaminated with non-solid dog faeces, diluting it with water to wash away remnants is recommended. If a dog has been treated with chemotherapeutics, dog waste should be double bagged and an owner wear thick disposable gloves when handling. If indoors or on a solid surface, animal friendly disinfectants should be used to kill any infectious agents.

Best Ways to Maintain Good Hygiene when it Comes to Dog Poo Clean Up

All mentioned above – wearing gloves, hand washing, ideally avoiding contact with dog faeces if immunocompromised or have open wounds

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