Welsh council prosecutes woman after escaped dog was spotted pooing on grass

A Welsh council has prosecuted a woman from Banwen after her escaped dog was seen fouling an area of grass.

The woman has been fined £387.52 after her dog was spotted by two Neath Port Talbot Council enforcement officers who had been patrolling the area in a van.

At Swansea Magistrates’ Court on March 23 2023, the owner of a small white dog, Stacey Richards, 37, of Roman Road, Banwen, was fined £40 after admitting an offence under The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996.

Miss Richards was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £16 and costs of £331.52.

The court heard the incident happened on August 22 last year when the dog was seen by the enforcement officers fouling an area of grass next to a lane at Roman Road.

Consequences

The dog was then seen to go into the rear garden of a property in Roman Road, entering via a space below a fence.

Miss Richards was spoken to at the property by the officers and admitted being the owner of the dog.

She was then issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Despite being given extra time to pay the Fixed Penalty Notice, and having received two reminder letters, no payment was received from Miss Richards, so a decision was taken to prosecute.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Streetscene, Cllr Scott Jones, said: “Enforcement is key to tackling the minority of dog-owners who blight the environment and risk public health and this case is a reminder of the consequences of not picking up after pets.”