A decision on new orders to tackle dog fouling and the control of dogs in public places in Carmarthenshire will be made next week.
The Executive Board will discuss the proposals which include cleaning up after your dog on all public land in the county, putting your dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer and excluding dogs from children’s play areas.
They will also consider the fixed penalty amount for failing to comply with the orders with a recommendation of £100, reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days.
A consultation exercise carried out during October and December showed that 98% of respondents either agreed or strongly agreed with an order for owners to clean up after their dogs; 89% agreed or strongly agreed with an order to put dogs on leads if directed to do so and 87% agreed or strongly agreed with an order to exclude dogs from children’s play areas.
Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We have been looking at these orders for some time and there is a lot of support for them from the public.
“We believe they will make it easier for officers to deal quickly and efficiently with irresponsible dog owners as well as bringing a number of benefits including creating a cleaner environment, reducing the health risks associated with dog mess and promoting responsible dog ownership.
“The recommendation for a £100 fixed penalty amount reflects how seriously we take this issue and is in line with most other local authorities.”
Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) were created under the Anti-social, Crime and Policing Act 2014 to give local authorities greater flexibility in tackling irresponsible dog owners and incidents involving dogs.
There are some exemptions to the orders, for example for assistance dogs and working dogs.
If given the go ahead, the orders would not come into force until July 1 at the earliest, however, officers will continue to enforce under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996.
The orders will be published on the council website and will be accompanied by an education and awareness campaign.
Existing dog fouling signs will need to be replaced and new signs put up in the children’s play areas.
The orders would be reviewed after three years.
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