Council To Consult On Dog Control

Residents will soon be given the opportunity to have their say on proposals to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to dog control. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

While Caerphilly County Borough Council works proactively to enforce dog fouling and dog control legislation, dog fouling remains a concern for Caerphilly county borough communities. Indeed, in the council’s 2015 Household Survey, over 40% of respondents felt that dog fouling was a big problem affecting the appearance of streets in neighbourhoods and town centres. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council is continually looking at works to improve its response to this issue, and consequently has developed some proposals for additional legal controls, which members of the public are invited to give their views on. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 brought a new power for councils to deal with anti-social behaviour problems in an area by imposing Public Space Protection Orders. The orders can be used to regulate activities in particular public places, and aim to ensure that the law-abiding majority can use and enjoy public spaces, safe from anti-social behaviour. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council is keen to consult with residents on the following areas: ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

• Excluding dogs from all enclosed children’s play areas within the county borough, as is currently the case
• Additional requirements for putting dogs on leads at all times in certain areas
• Requiring dogs to be kept on leads in enclosed memorial gardens in the county borough
• Requiring dog owners to remove dog faeces in public places, as is currently the case
• Requiring dog owners to carry an appropriate receptacle for dealing with their waste that their dog produces – that is, to always have the means to pick up their dog faeces
• Requiring dog owners to put their dogs on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer on any public land, where the dog is considered to be out of control or causing harm or distress to prevent a nuisance
• Excluding dogs from all council owned marked sports/playing pitches

Cllr Nigel George, Cabinet Member for Community and Leisure Services said: “The council is keen to introduce tighter dog controls throughout the county borough and this consultation will help us identify the issues and deciding on the provisions to be included in the draft Public Space Protection Order”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The consultation will run from 1 April to 24 June 2016. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​