Consultation on Dog Control Orders

Read the details of the consultation (with appendices) here.(pdf, 412KB)

Final outcome following consultation

Introduction

At a meeting of the Cabinet on 19th June 2006 it was agreed that the proposal for the making of Dog Control Orders under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 should go out to consultation, as required by the Act.

The Cabinet delegated authority to the Director of Environment in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Environment to agree the detailed implementation of Dog Control Orders under the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005 following consultation.

Consultation was carried out as follows between 29th September and the end of October 2006:

• Public notice in the Richmond and Twickenham Times on 29th September
• Posters advertising the issue of dog fouling/dog related issues inviting people to log onto www.richmond.gov.uk/dogs or call or write for more information/copy of the questionnaire
• Membership of Kennel Club - KC Dog
• Web based information and questionnaire

Recommendations

1. Dog fouling Make a Dog Control Order in respect of failure to remove dog faeces from any open land accessible by the public.

Details

Dog Control Order regarding dog fouling. An offence is committed if a person in charge of a dog fails to remove the faeces forthwith unless he/she can show a reasonable excuse for failing to do so, or the owner/occupier has consented to his failing to do so. The Order will apply to all land in the Borough which is open to the public, including roads, footpaths, pavements, grass verges, alleyways and towpaths, allotments, and parks and open spaces, including wooded areas.

Special dog mess bins do not have to be provided for this to apply. It is acceptable to put wrapped dog waste in public litterbins.

Dog Control Orders are enforceable by either the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice, offering the opportunity of discharging liability by payment of £80 (or £50 for early payment), or a prosecution, for which the maximum penalty is a £1000 fine. There are guide dog exceptions.

It is also an offence to fail to give correct name and address when asked to by an authorised officer in relation to the offence of failing to remove faeces forthwith. This is a criminal offence that on summary conviction has a maximum fine of £1000.

2. Make a Dog Control Order to exclude dogs from fenced, dog free areas.

Details

Dog Control Order regarding exclusion of dogs. An Order be made excluding dogs at all times from various designated sites in the Borough, listed below.

• All fenced playgrounds

The following sites which are used as playing fields:

• Barn Elms - Barnes
• Buckingham Park (marked football pitch area) - Hampton
• King’s Field - Hampton Wick
• Alpha Road Park - Fulwell / Hampton Hill

The following cemeteries in the Borough:

• East Sheen Cemetery and Richmond Cemetery - North Richmond and South Richmond
• Hampton Cemetery - Hampton North
• Twickenham Cemetery - Heathfield and Whitton
• Old Mortlake Cemetery - East Sheen
• Teddington Cemetery - Hampton Wick and Teddington

Dog Control Orders are enforceable by either the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice, offering the opportunity of discharging liability by payment of £80 within 14 days, or a prosecution, for which the maximum penalty is a £1000 fine. There are guide dog exceptions.

3. Make a Dog Control Order to restrict dogs by requiring people to keep them on a lead.

Details

Dog Control Order regarding keeping dogs on leads. Keep dogs on leads at all times in the following areas:

• All the Borough’s roads.
• Terrace Gardens, Richmond;
• York House Gardens; Twickenham
• Leg O’Mutton Reservoir, Barnes
• Crane Park Island, Heathfield

Dog Control Orders are enforceable by either the issue of a Fixed Penalty Notice, offering the opportunity of discharging liability by payment of £80 within 14 days, or a prosecution, for which the maximum penalty is a £1000 fine. There are guide dog exceptions.

4. Do not make a Dog Control Order to restrict numbers of dogs being walked by one person.

Details

The Council may reconsider this at a later date following further consultation with professional dog walkers/clients and neighbouring authorities to find a mechanism to encourage best practice in terms of managing dog behaviour/collection of dog faeces.  This may include licensing professional dog walkers.

5. Authorise the following officers to enforce Dog Control Orders and issue Fixed Penalty Notices:

Council officers: Street Scene Enforcement Officers; Parks Patrol Officers; Street Scene Inspectors; specifically authorised contractors’ staff, authorised by the Director of Environment.

Metropolitan Police Officers: Police Officers, Police Community Support Officers, Special Police Officers.

Next steps and indicative timetable

The Director of Environment has approved these recommendations formally and the Council has formally enacted these Dog Control Orders.  Information about the Dog Control Orders here.

Our Street Scene Enforcement Team have begun educating the public about the Dog Control Orders as well as planning and executing targeted enforcement operations in areas where dog fouling is a particular problem.