Northumberland ranks among top 3 areas for dog poo complaints according to new data

Residents in Northumberland rack up over 1,000 dog poo complaints in a bid to stop fouling. This research comes whilst looking into the UK dog laws that all owners need to be aware of, with dog fouling included.

Research into Freedom of Information (FOI) data by TopDog, which sells dog harnesses and collars, highlights just how much residents are getting tired of seeing dog poo in public areas, with thousands of complaints being made last year.

Those in Manchester top the list of complainers, with 1,147 complaints being made to the council in 2024, with only a small 38 of which resulted in fines. Complaints from other councils across the country are rife, again with many resulting in little to no fines.

Northumberland comes in close second with 1058 complaints across 2024 and only 6 fines, and Durham had 884 complaints for the year, with only 18 of those being fined.

John Skinner, co-founder of TopDog, says: “The last thing you want when taking your dog out for a walk is to suddenly be without dog poo bags when you need them.

"Even those short walks can surprise you, so we would recommend investing in a useful dog walking bag which can hold all the essentials such as keys, wallet and your phone, but also has a poo bag dispenser so you’ll never be short again.”