Dog control consultation begins today
City residents, in particular dog owners, are being invited to have their say on proposals to introduce Public Space Protection Orders to tackle dog control issues from today (26 June 2017).
In March 2014, five Dog Control Orders came into effect across the city, which have proved to be effective tools in dealing with the minority of dog owners who fail to keep their pets under control.
However, due to a changes imposed by the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, these orders will cease to be in effect from October 2017, after when they must be replaced by Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).
A full public consultation on the proposal to change the existing orders into PSPOs opens today (26 June) and will run for six weeks until 7 August 2017. There are no changes to the legal provisions, but there is a proposed increase in the fixed penalty for offences, from £80 to £100.
Birmingham City Council receives thousands of complaints about dog control issues: In 2016 officers received 3,115 complaints ranging from stray or aggressive dogs to owners not clearing up after their pets, resulting in 528 warning letters and 27 fixed penalty notices being issued by our dog wardens.
Cllr Barbara Dring, Chair of the city council’s Licensing and Public Protection Committee, said: “The introduction of dog control orders has enabled us to successfully prosecute irresponsible dog owners for not controlling their pets or picking up their mess.
“However we still get numerous complaints about dogs, particularly around dog fouling, which is why we’re looking at increasing the £80 fine to £100 – the message is simple, pick up or pay up.
“Residents, including responsible dog owners, are fed up with the nuisance and danger caused by a minority of thoughtless dog owners, so it is vital that people contribute to this consultation between 26 June and 7 August 2017 by visiting www.birmingham.gov.uk/dogcontrol”
The five orders currently in place make it an offence for a dog owner or anyone in charge of a dog to:
- Not remove their dog’s waste
- Notkeep their dogs on a lead on roads, footways and adjoining verges
- Allow their dog into clearly demarcated children’s play areas or school land
- Not place their dogs on a lead when asked to by an authorised officer
- Take more than four dogs at a time onto any public land.
Failure to respond to a fixed penalty notice can result in prosecution.
There will be exceptions for assistance dogs.
For further details on these proposals and to have a say in this consultation, please visit www.birmingham.gov.uk/dogcontrol
ENDS
