New Rules for four-legged Friends Introduced

Did you know that new rules affecting dog owners were introduced across the borough on 20 October following changes to anti-social, crime and policing legislation?

Cheshire West and Council needed to streamline various bye-laws and orders that already existed in different areas of the borough.

The Council's Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Karen Shore said: "A wide-ranging consultation and review of dog control took place earlier this year because we wanted to find out what action residents thought was needed to keep our communities safe but also balancing the needs of dog owners.

"Based on feedback from the consultation, a Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) on Dog Control was then drafted. The order was approved by the Council's Cabinet in September and will come into force on 20 October 2018."

The new dog control order includes the following:

• Exclude dogs from enclosed children's play area containing play equipment.
• Exclude dogs from partially or fully enclosed multi use games areas and tennis courts.
• Dogs must always be kept on lead in Council cemeteries.
• Dogs must be kept on a lead in Grosvenor Park as is currently required.
• Dogs must be put on a lead on the direction of an authorised officer.
• When a lead is required it must be no longer than two metres in length and if it an extendable lead it must be locked at two metres.
• All dog walkers are required to carry a means to collect dog foul – bags, scoops, etc.
• The maximum number of dogs to be walked by one person at any one time, whether on behalf of business or themselves, is restricted to six.

Also included will be a trial to offer people caught not collecting their dog's foul, testing and registration of their dog on a DNA database as an alternative to a Fixed Penalty Notice. Delegating the power to issue fines to officers from town and parish councils will also be trialed.

Assistance dogs are exempt from the new exclusion areas and foul collection rule.

In addition to the exclusion of dogs there will also be a prohibition on smoking in enclosed children's play areas

Temporary signage about the new rules is currently being placed in key locations across the borough and permanent signage will follow later.