Fines For Taking Dogs Onto School Grounds

Ysgol Brynrefail Headteacher and pupils with Jonathan Neale, Gwynedd Council Tidy Towns Officer, urging dog owners to act responsibly ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A number of irresponsible dog owners in Llanrug have recently been handed £100 fixed penalty notices after they were caught taking their dogs onto Ysgol Brynrefail grounds. This followed a request for assistance from school staff to Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement Team after it had been noticed that dog owners were ignoring warning signs. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement Team regularly monitor school playing fields and children’s play areas and will respond to any breaches of the law with fixed penalty notices or a court summons. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Ysgol Brynrefail’s Headteacher Arwyn Williams said: “Dogs are excluded from all our school grounds owing to the health risks. Children are especially vulnerable to illnesses caused by organisms in dock muck. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“As a school we are obviously concerned when people bring their dogs onto areas where children play – and this despite signs warning them not to. We are, therefore, working with Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement Wardens to tackle this serious issue and hope that this action will deter others from doing the same.’ ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Gwynedd Council issued 88 fixed penalties for littering and 38 for dog control offences in the county during 2015-16. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor John Wynn Jones, Gwynedd Council’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “It is totally unacceptable that some dog owners are taking their pets onto school grounds. Not only is dog faeces offensive in any public or social context, it is also particularly dangerous to children.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Many dogs are infected with parasites which can be harmful to people, especially children. Toxocariasis is a disease caused when the eggs of toxocara worms are transferred from dogs to people through infected dog mess or soil. Infection can lead to illness and even blindness. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

In Gwynedd it is a criminal offence to take a dog onto designated children’s play areas, school grounds, sports pitches and certain beaches (April-September). Offenders are liable to receive a £100 fixed penalty from Gwynedd Council’s Street Enforcement Wardens and Maritime and Country Parks Staff. Failure to pay the fine could lead to a court summons and a fine of up to £1,000. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Members of the public can help Gwynedd Council reduce environmental crime by reporting incidents, in strictest confidence, to the Street Enforcement Team. Phone 01766 771000, e-mail streetenforcement@gwynedd.gov.uk, or visit the website www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru and click on the “Report a Problem” tab. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​