Campaign to tackle dog fouling in Blackbird Leys parks

Councillors, parish councillors and City Council officers will be out and about over the next two weeks speaking to dog walkers and giving out free dog poo bags.

The aim of the campaign is make Blackbird Leys’ parks and opens spaces a better environment that everyone can use and enjoy.

Residents have raised concerns about dog fouling in Blackbird Leys’ parks and open spaces, particularly Blackbird Leys Park and Gillians Park.

It is an offence for dog owners not to clean up after their pets. Owners can be issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice and, if prosecuted, a court can issue a £1,000 fine.

Dog poo can be placed in bags and put in dog poo bins, which are located at entrances and exits in all Blackbird Leys’ parks, or double bagged and put in litter bins.

As part of the campaign, officers and councillors will also remind dog owners that from April it will become a legal requirement that all dogs are micro-chipped.

Councillor John Tanner, Executive Board Member for Cleaner, Greener Oxford, said: “There is no excuse for letting your dog foul footpaths or parks wherever you live in Oxford. It’s horrible to get dog poo or your shoes or in the wheels of your child’s buggy.

“We rely on the public reporting dog fouling and identifying irresponsible dog owners. But City Council officers have and will impose on-the-spot fines whenever we can.”

Councillor Linda Smith, Oxford City Council member for Blackbird Leys, said: “Blackbird Leys residents have raised concerns about dog fouling in the areas parks and open spaces, particularly Blackbird Leys Park and Gillian’s Park.

“It’s important that residents feel they can use and enjoy their parks, which is why we’re carrying out this campaign over the next two weeks.”

Oxford residents can report dog fouling, dangerous dogs and lost and stray dogs by visiting our Dogs page.