The Sunderland City Council Community Safety Team, working with Washington community groups, has launched a targeted, intelligence‑led appeal asking people in Washington, Tyne and Wear, to report specific details of dog fouling. On 7 February 2026 the council urged residents to provide descriptions of dogs and their owners, plus exact dates, times and locations of incidents to help officers identify repeat offenders.
By providing these details, residents can help the council issue a A3100 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) to people who fail to clean up after their pets. The appeal is part of the council’s stated zero‑tolerance approach to litter and mess in public spaces and aims to keep streets and play areas cleaner and safer for families and children.
Under the 2024–2027 Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), dog walkers are required to carry suitable means (for example, waste bags) to pick up dog mess at all times. Failure to produce such means when asked is a finable offence, even if the dog has not fouled during that walk. The council says officers will follow up reported intelligence and may visit to discuss the matter with suspected owners.
Residents can report incidents via the council’s animal‑fouling page (https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/animal-fouling), the council’s report‑it portal (https://www.sunderland.gov.uk/report-it), or by calling the dedicated hotline on 0191 520 5550. The council asks people to pass information to officers rather than confronting suspected offenders directly; clear, time‑stamped information and photos or video where available help investigators identify hotspots and build the evidence required for enforcement.
For more information on the legal framework and how to report, see Sunderland City Council’s guidance on dog control and animal fouling.
