The council recognises that most dog owners who live in and visit the borough are responsible; they keep their dog under control, pick up dog fouling and dispose of it correctly, they also microchip their dog and exercise it in a manner that doesn’t cause distress to other users of public spaces. However, the council does have to deal with complaints each year about stray dogs, irresponsible ownership, and the impact of dog fouling on the public. In response to this we have introduced new powers in the form of a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) for the control of dogs. The order aims to address the following issues in our parks and public spaces:
The PSPO came into force on 4 January 2023 and may be viewed using the link below, the PSPO includes plans of our parks showing the extent of the area from which dogs are prohibited.
The council’s community support unit will be looking to address the issues within the PSPO through education and awareness as well as enforcement, and all our wardens, who wear official council uniform and carry identification, will be out and about on our parks offering information and advice to dog owners in addition to enforcing any breaches of the PSPO.
A breach of the requirements is an offence and will usually be dealt with by way of a Fixed Penalty Notice carrying a fine of £100 or prosecution in the Magistrates Court.
Contact the team directly on 01773 841335 or email envadmin@ambervalley.gov.uk