Homeowner Fined Over $800 For Leaving Dog Poop In His Backyard

There are two types of dog owners in the world. The first type walks their dogs and allows them to do their business in somebody else’s yard. The second type opens the door and let their dogs do their business in their own yards.

If you happen to be in the second group, we applaud your efforts. You still have to clean up after the dog, although you do have the benefit of letting it go till the next day if you want.

Then again, if you are like a dog owner in the UK, you may just end up being fined for having your own dog use your own yard as a toilet. That’s especially true if your neighbors complain about the smell.

In this particular case, it was something that had been going on for quite some time. Complaints were made about the odor and the Durham County Counsel had sent the dog owner four notices to clean things up.

Since the dog owner ignored the complaints and the notices, they decided to take things to the next level. They fined the dog owner £750 (around $824 USD), according to the Nottingham Post.

In order to receive this type of penalty, the dog owner had to ignore everything that was coming in his direction. At that point, they basically took it to court and the fine was given.

The Nottingham Post reported that it all started when the neighbors were complaining about the dog owner and his dog. A Community Protection Warning was levied against the dog owner in October.

An entire week was given for them to clean things up but when they came to inspect the property, no action had been taken.

Since they didn’t comply with the notice, they were prosecuted because they weren’t removing the dog waste from the property.

To make matters worse, they had a court date on April 19 and refused to appear. The fine was given in their absence, with a total cost of fines and other fees of £754.

It was an expensive lesson to learn and it could have been avoided, if they just would’ve gone out and scooped the poop. They probably could have paid a neighborhood child a lot less to clean things up every day.

Some of the neighbors spoke about how bad the smell was, especially when it got warm. They also had to look at the mess as they walked by.

Another resident was more appreciative of their attempts. They gave them the benefit of the doubt, saying at least the dog wasn’t doing its business on paths where kids could step in it.

According to the Gloucestershire Live, the Neighborhood Warden received another complaint on February 2 about rubbish and dog feces on the property. They submitted another statement to the court.

The neighborhood protection manager, Ian Hoult, commented on the buildup of poo in the yard. He said it was beyond unsightly and was becoming a health risk.

While homeowners are given a chance to rectify problematic situations, it seems that this homeowner has no intention to.

As for this issue, they have until May 17 to pay the fine. Otherwise, they could find themselves in even more hot water.