Dog Wardens

Your Neighbourhood Dog Warden Service operates five days a week.

The service also has a confidential help line called Prideline. The line is there for you to pass on details about irresponsible dog owners who commit offences. You will not be asked to give your name or address, but you will need to give as much information about the offender as possible, for example a description of the person and dog, and a time and place. This allows the Neighbourhood Dog Wardens to be in the right place at the right time. Thus the offender gets caught, and the problem in your area is hopefully resolved.

The Neighbourhood Dog Wardens have other duties including:

  • Environmental Enforcement
  • Dog Welfare Duties
  • Stray Collection
  • Dealing with Environmental Issues including Litter, Graffiti, Abandoned Vehicles, Low level Anti Socal Behaviour
  • Fouling Patrols
  • Educational Visits.

Are you a responsible Dog Owner?

As a dog owner, you have a responsibility to your dog and other people. Erewash Borough Council wishes to promote responsible dog ownership in partnership with you.

Dog fouling

Dog Control Orders make it an offence to allow your dog to foul in a public place, without clearing it away immediately and disposing of it properly.

Why is it an offence?

Dog fouling causes great inconvenience and nuisance to many people. In particular people who use a wheelchair, parents with young children, people who are partially sighted and people who just want to walk freely and comfortably around parks and streets within the Borough. T

There are also health issues associated with dog fouling. Germs and other organisms, such as roundworms, are often present in dog faeces and can cause illness to people accidentally coming across them. Children are at greatest risk of being infected. If a child with roundworm goes untreated it can cause blindness. It is therefore very important not only to clean up after your dog but to worm them regularly.

Neighbourhood Dog Wardens and Neighbourhood Wardens patrol the Borough and challenge those people who do not pick up after their dog. Each year many owners are prosecuted or issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice. To help clean up after your dog, the Council provide over 200 dedicated bins and litter bins for dog waste. This excludes litter bins where you can also deposit dog waste.

Always carry a suitable bag and place it in your own bin at home if a Council bin is not near by. Do not just leave it behind. By doing this, you are not only acting as a responsible dog owner, but obeying the law.

Why not train your dog to go at home?

You can, with a little time and patience, train your dog to go at home. It is good to start when your dog is a puppy, but any dog can learn no matter what their age.

If you have a garden, choose a small area where you can train your dog to go. Take your dog to this area when you know they want to do their business and praise them when they do something in the spot you have designated. Always use the same word of command and praise. You may even give them a treat as a reward.

Repeat the process several times and never get cross if your dog does not seem to get the idea straight away - just persevere and be consistent. They will eventually catch on. If you do not have a garden, you can train them to use a litter tray in the same way. Dispose of the contents by double wrapping in plastic bags and placing with your household waste.

Identifying your dog

The Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires that a dog in a public place must wear a collar and ID tag with their owners name and address inscribed on it. Failure to do so may incur a fine of up to £5,000.

If our Neighbourhood Wardens find your dog, they will try to contact you. If you cannot be contacted and the dog is taken into kennels you will be charged a penalty fee plus vaccination fee, kennel fees and any necessary veterinary treatment costs. These costs must be paid in full before you can claim your dog.

After 7 days detention if the dog is not claimed and the fees are not paid in full the dog will be donated for rehoming.

Where can you obtain worming treatments?

You can buy worming tablets from the chemist, pet shop and veterinary surgeries.