More than 1,000 fines dished out to dog owners in Rhondda Cynon Taf

More than 1,000 fines have been issued for breaching dog controls, including dog fouling, in Rhondda Cynon Taf since 2017. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The figure was revealed in a council cabinet report as councillors consider extending two public space protection orders (PSPOs) on dog controls for another three years. The PSPOs are due to expire on September 30. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

If cabinet agrees recommendations from officers on Wednesday, June 28, a consultation will begin on extending the controls. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The PSPOs include the banning of dog fouling in all public places in RCT, the need for dogs to be kept on a lead in council-owned or maintained cemeteries, the need for bags or other suitable means for the disposal of dog faeces to be carried, the need for dog owners to follow a direction given by an authorised officer that a dog be put on a lead in a public place, and a ban on dogs from schools, playgrounds and marked sports pitches and certain community council sites. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

There is a specific PSPO for keeping dogs on a lead at all times in Aberdare Park. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The orders were introduced in October 2017 and renewed in October 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But the cabinet report said a minority of dog owners still do not clean up after their pets or keep them under control and officers consider it vital that the orders are renewed to ensure appropriate powers remain in place to deal with those who continue to flout the laws. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council employs a warden with powers to enforce these PSPOs, which  can lead to a maximum fine of £1,000. A fixed penalty of £100 may be offered in place of prosecution. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

A report published by Keep Wales Tidy shows the presence of dog fouling on streets in RCT has remained consistent at 10.9% when compared to the period the PSPO was last renewed in 2020. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

But in 2021-22, the presence of dog fouling was recorded on 8.9% of streets – so the most recent report shows an increase, the cabinet report said. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Before the introduction of the PSPO in 2017, this figure was around 18%. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The report also shows instances of dog fouling are generally spread evenly across the county borough. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cabinet will receive a further report with the responses to the consultation and any recommendations for changes to the proposed orders. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​