Rise in Dog Control Orders being issued
To avoid a fine, Direct Line's head of pet insurance Prit Powar encouraged dog owners to check restrictions in their area or anywhere they are visiting.
There has been a nine per cent increase in the number of Dog Control Orders (DCOs) issued by local authorities in England and Wales, new research shows.
Local councils have the power to make orders regarding dogs in their area under the Dog Control Order Regulations. These relate to five offences: failing to remove dog faeces, not keeping a dog on a lead, not keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so, permitting a dog to enter land from which they are excluded, and taking more than the permitted number of dogs onto land.
New figures obtained by Direct Line Pet Insurance shows that at least 892 DCOs were set in motion by local authorities in 2015 and there have already been 866 orders as of 1 June 2016.
The south west had the highest number of active DCOs in 2015 (250), followed by the north west (179) and south east (102).
According to the research, local authorities served 2,448 notices to dog owners who breached orders last year, and garnered nearly £160,500 in fixed penalty notices (FPNs). This is an increase of three per cent on the sum generated the previous year.
Conwy County Council served the greatest number of FPNS - an astonishing 512 - in 2015, while Liverpool City Council, Torbay Council and Scarborough Borough Council generated the most income from the notices.
Cornwall Council has consistently had the highest number of DCOs among English and Welsh authorities, with 120 across the county between 2013-16.
To avoid a fine, Direct Line's head of pet insurance Prit Powar encouraged dog owners to check restrictions in their area or anywhere they are visiting, as DCOs vary depending on the local authority and time of year. The orders themselves can also vary widely, with some saying no dogs, others saying dogs must be on a lead and others may specify how many dogs can be walked by one person.
"If unsure, check your local council website, pop into the office or give them a call and ask for a list of the control orders in place that relate to your local area."
Currently, DCOs are included in sections 55-58 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, which state that an order can be served with regard to any land that is open to the air and to which the public are permitted to have access. Orders that limit dogs' access in public places will soon come under the Anti-Social Crime and Behaviour Act 2014 and will be rebranded in autumn next year.
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
