Pet owner hits out after winning court battle over dog mess ticket

Chris Lindsay, a dog owner, has criticised wardens in Bridport who tried to fine him for dog mess he was about to clear away. Mr Lindsay ran out of bags and went back to his car to get some more to remove his German Shepherd Bono's mess from a path in Bridport, Dorset.

But two female dog wardens handed him a £50 fixed penalty notice, claiming his body language showed he had no intention of returning to clear up after his 13-year-old pet last November. The 49-year-old from Bridport contested the fine at Weymouth Magistrates' Court last Friday and was cleared of failing to promptly remove dog mess from a public path.

He argued during the five-hour hearing that he was not given enough time to collect the poo bag from his car parked nearby. He has trouble walking due to deep vein thrombosis and could not take the most direct route to his car down a slope.



The case cost West Dorset District Council £955 in legal fees and Mr Lindsay intends to send the council a bill for £150 expenses. He said: "I just feel they were over-zealous and refused me the option to go and collect my own bag from the car which I fully intended to do."

He added: "It was a complete waste of time and money. If someone genuinely is not going to pick up after their dog then that's another matter but the warden never gave me the opportunity to go to my car and get another bag."

Jane Williams, senior environmental health officer at West Dorset District Council, said: "The outcome from this case was disappointing. Our dog wardens rarely need to serve fixed penalty notices which indicates that the message to pick up after your dog is being heeded. I would like to take the opportunity to thank those responsible dog owners for doing so."