The Dogs Act 1996 is an Act

Act of Parliament

An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...

 of the Parliament of the United Kingdom

Parliament of the United Kingdom

The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...

. The purpose of the Act was to create a criminal offence if a dog defecates at any time on designated land and a person who is in charge of the dog at that time fails to remove the faeces from the land forthwith.

It was repealed by Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It implements proposals contained in the Clean Neighbourhoods consultation launched on 25 July 2004.-Section 108 - Commencement:...

 section 65, and replaced by similar legislation in the same act. The Act applied only in England and Wales

England and Wales

England and Wales is a jurisdiction within the United Kingdom. It consists of England and Wales, two of the four countries of the United Kingdom...

. It was not regulated in Scotland until the passing of the Dog Fouling (Scotland) Act 2003.

Some exemptions are in place for land beside a major road, agricultural land or forestry. Local authorities were to be responsible for policing the Act, and are able to appoint officers to enforce the regulations. Conviction would lead to a fine.