Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996

3Offence

(1)If a dog defecates at any time on designated land and a person who is in charge of the dog at that time fails to remove the faeces from the land forthwith, that person shall be guilty of an offence unless—

(a)he has a reasonable excuse for failing to do so; or

(b)the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to his failing to do so.

(2)A person who is guilty of an offence under this section shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(3)Nothing in this section applies to a person registered as a blind person in a register compiled under section 29 of the [1948 c. 29.] National Assistance Act 1948.

(4)For the purposes of this section—

(a)a person who habitually has a dog in his possession shall be taken to be in charge of the dog at any time unless at that time some other person is in charge of the dog;

(b)placing the faeces in a receptacle on the land which is provided for the purpose, or for the disposal of waste, shall be a sufficient removal from the land; and

(c)being unaware of the defecation (whether by reason of not being in the vicinity or otherwise), or not having a device for or other suitable means of removing the faeces, shall not be a reasonable excuse for failing to remove the faeces.