Plan for dog control orders
Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Council to consult on Dog Control Orders
New Dog Control Orders proposed for Carmarthenshire will go out for further public consultation before any final decision is reached.
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, local authorities now have greater powers to control dogs in public places.
As a result, the council has been consulting with town and community councils as well as members of the public on proposals for Carmarthenshire.
A working group has also been established involving various council departments such as street scene, education, leisure with representatives from the country parks and Millennium Coastal Park, housing and public protection to help decide the way forward.
A report is due to go before the council’s executive board on Friday, July 24.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones said: “In drafting these proposals, we have tried to balance the interests of dog owners who need areas where they can exercise their dogs without undue restrictions, with the need for dogs to be kept under stricter control in some areas and for people - particularly children - to have access to dog-free areas. We believe that the proposed orders achieve the correct balance.”
The proposals include:
Dog fouling: the council proposes to make an order requiring the person in charge of a dog to remove any faeces that it deposits on public land. The order will apply to all public land in the county. The only exception will be Forestry Commission land.
Dogs on leads at all times: The council proposes to make an order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead all times, when on the following categories of land:
All public highways, capable of carrying motorised vehicular traffic, excluding footpaths and other rights of way not normally intended for public vehicular access
All highway verges, footways and cycleways adjacent to the highways specified above
All unadopted estate roads and footways on housing estates
All pedestrianised areas in town centres
Llyn Llech Owain Country Park
Designated areas at Burry Port Harbour and Llanelli North Dock
Dogs on leads under direction: The council proposes to make an order requiring the person in charge of a dog to place it on a lead, when directed to do so by an officer authorised by the council. Under this order, we will only require a dog to be placed on a lead if it is causing a nuisance. This order will apply to all public land within the county, except for the areas where dogs must be kept on leads at all times under the above order.
Maximum number of dogs: The council proposes to make an order making it an offence to walk more than three dogs at a time on any public land within the county.
Dog bans: The council proposes to make an order prohibiting dogs from:
All enclosed children’s play areas
All land within school boundaries, including school playing fields
All land within the boundaries of further and higher education establishments
All marked sports pitches to which the public are permitted or entitled to have access and land within two metres of the pitches
All sports facilities in the county, including (but not limited to) multi-ball parks, tennis courts, bowling greens, cycling and running tracks, netball and basketball courts, skate parks and water parks
Bronwydd Cricket Club and Recreational Ground
Parts of the beaches and foreshore at Pendine, Llansteffan, Ferryside, St Ishmaels, Cefn Sidan, Burry Port and Llanelli (between May 1 and September 30).
Failure to comply with a Dog Control Orders could lead to a £75 fixed penalty notice or prosecution through the courts that could result in a fine of up to £1,000. There are some exemptions for people who are registered as blind and for some disabled people with assistance dogs.
Councillor Jones added: “We have already carried out an extensive consultation exercise to help us to decide the way forward in Carmarthenshire. We are now looking to establish firm proposals for the county and will again ask residents for their feedback before any final decision is made.”
A consultation exercise will get underway in the autumn.
New Dog Control Orders proposed for Carmarthenshire will go out for further public consultation before any final decision is reached.
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, local authorities now have greater powers to control dogs in public places.
As a result, the council has been consulting with town and community councils as well as members of the public on proposals for Carmarthenshire.
A working group has also been established involving various council departments such as street scene, education, leisure with representatives from the country parks and Millennium Coastal Park, housing and public protection to help decide the way forward.
A report is due to go before the council’s executive board on Friday, July 24.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones said: “In drafting these proposals, we have tried to balance the interests of dog owners who need areas where they can exercise their dogs without undue restrictions, with the need for dogs to be kept under stricter control in some areas and for people - particularly children - to have access to dog-free areas. We believe that the proposed orders achieve the correct balance.”
The proposals include:
Dog fouling: the council proposes to make an order requiring the person in charge of a dog to remove any faeces that it deposits on public land. The order will apply to all public land in the county. The only exception will be Forestry Commission land.
Dogs on leads at all times: The council proposes to make an order requiring dogs to be kept on a lead all times, when on the following categories of land:
All public highways, capable of carrying motorised vehicular traffic, excluding footpaths and other rights of way not normally intended for public vehicular access
All highway verges, footways and cycleways adjacent to the highways specified above
All unadopted estate roads and footways on housing estates
All pedestrianised areas in town centres
Llyn Llech Owain Country Park
Designated areas at Burry Port Harbour and Llanelli North Dock
Dogs on leads under direction: The council proposes to make an order requiring the person in charge of a dog to place it on a lead, when directed to do so by an officer authorised by the council. Under this order, we will only require a dog to be placed on a lead if it is causing a nuisance. This order will apply to all public land within the county, except for the areas where dogs must be kept on leads at all times under the above order.
Maximum number of dogs: The council proposes to make an order making it an offence to walk more than three dogs at a time on any public land within the county.
Dog bans: The council proposes to make an order prohibiting dogs from:
All enclosed children’s play areas
All land within school boundaries, including school playing fields
All land within the boundaries of further and higher education establishments
All marked sports pitches to which the public are permitted or entitled to have access and land within two metres of the pitches
All sports facilities in the county, including (but not limited to) multi-ball parks, tennis courts, bowling greens, cycling and running tracks, netball and basketball courts, skate parks and water parks
Bronwydd Cricket Club and Recreational Ground
Parts of the beaches and foreshore at Pendine, Llansteffan, Ferryside, St Ishmaels, Cefn Sidan, Burry Port and Llanelli (between May 1 and September 30).
Failure to comply with a Dog Control Orders could lead to a £75 fixed penalty notice or prosecution through the courts that could result in a fine of up to £1,000. There are some exemptions for people who are registered as blind and for some disabled people with assistance dogs.
Councillor Jones added: “We have already carried out an extensive consultation exercise to help us to decide the way forward in Carmarthenshire. We are now looking to establish firm proposals for the county and will again ask residents for their feedback before any final decision is made.”
A consultation exercise will get underway in the autumn.
Comments