6 in 10 people see dog mess as a problem in their neighbourhood

These figures come from the Safety Monitor, a survey conducted by CBS and the Ministry of Justice and Security. In 2023, approximately 180 thousand people aged 15 years and over participated in this survey.

Mess, pollution and vandalism are sources of irritation

Litter and dog waste in the streets are the two problems that people are irritated by the most frequently, but smaller numbers of people also see vandalised street furniture as a source of irritation (such as litter bins or benches), as well as graffiti on walls and buildings. But dog waste and litter are mentioned the most often, with 7 in 10 people saying that they are a problem, and around 2 in 10 saying they are a serious problem.

People in rural areas are the least likely to see dog mess as a major problem

Dog waste is a major source of irritation for 16 percent of the Dutch population. This share is slightly higher in built-up areas than in rural areas. People in the highest wealth group are the least likely to say they are irritated by this problem in their neighbourhood. Young people aged below 25 years are the least likely to report that dog mess is a problem; those aged 25 to 44 years are the most likely to be bothered by it.

Decline in irriation about mess and vandalism

The share of people who said mess and vandalism in their neighbourhood (such as dog waste and litter) was a major problem fell from 25 percent to 21 percent between 2012 and 2022. Antisocial behaviour in the neighbourhood is another type of problem that people may be bothered by. This can be caused by noisy neighbours, drug use or teenagers loitering in the streets, for instance. Between 2012 and 2023 there was little change in the number of people who experienced high levels of irritation due to antisocial behaviour. In the intervening years, however, there was a dip. The number of people mentioning problems relating to traffic, such as speeding drivers, has hardly changed since 2012.