Agenda item

OS/152/18 DOG PSPO (Pages 25 -141)

D Ryder introduced this item.

-1220 responses to consultation

- Agreeing or disagreeing with the requirements – 95.2% supported this proposal.

- National Trust land excluded – preferring the stick and flick method.

-Requirements of clearing up after dogs was strongly supported – 95.1%

-- Placing dogs on a lead  - there are some issues with professional dog walkers who take out groups of dogs, 91.9% agreed with the proposal.(Q4 refers)

- Dogs and Play areas – dogs should be excluded from fenced areas. Over 90% agreed.

Cllr Hicks asked if the area was not fenced could the proposed rules still be enforced, and said that he was keen for sports pitches to be included.

D Rhoden explained that establishment of the boundaries would be difficult and therefore would be open to legal challenges.

Cllr Riddick asked whether Boxmoor Trust as opposed to the National Trust were in favour of picking up dog mess on their land.

D Rhoden said that at a meeting with Boxmoor Trust they had expressed that they wanted their land to be covered.

Cllr Anderson asked if this enabled the authority to deal with issues where people just allowed dogs to roam off their property.

D Rhoden said that if dogs are continually roaming there is legislation that can be used including community protection warnings. This piece of legislation would not cover that.

Cllr Timms asked if there was a breakdown of area with regards to the survey and how people were made aware of it.

D Rhoden replied that it was an anonymous survey and awareness was raised via social media, Dacorum’s website, Boxmoor Trust and the National Trust, and Parish Councils amongst others.

Cllr Howard commented that she had spoken to a group of dog owners who totally agree that they want something done.

Cllr Birnie remarked that putting wasted in normal bins is a reasonable ideabut they should be emptied more often and that needs to be addressed.

Cllr Marshall told the committee that the list of play areas in the report all allude to the fenced play areas but that the companies that supply the equipment for this have found that unfenced areas are what the industry is moving towards.This will cause problems in respect of prosecution for dog fouling so asked if dogs could be excluded within a certain distance of these areas.

Cllr Timmis Said that she supported the idea of people picking up after their dogs, but that she felt dogs should not be demonised as families with children often have a dog and it would not be practical for the dogs to be kept metres away. She made the point that we have no control over cat mess which is equally if not more dangerous.

Cllr Anderson proposed that the proposal was supported with the kennel club wording but also with the proviso that we are able to report specific bins or inadequate bin coverage.

It was agreed.