SOUTH Northants Council is consulting residents over new Dog Control Orders.
The council wants to make the orders to replace the previous system of byelaws, which has been repealed.
Members of the public are invited to comment on the proposals, which recommend the creation of four offences – failing to remove dog faeces, n
ot keeping a dog on a lead, not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer, and permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded.
Fixed penalty notices of £75 could be issued against those breaking Dog Control Orders. The council says the new orders will streamline the current system, as well as give it the power to punish errant dog owners with fixed penalties in the first instance, rather than prosecution.
Previous legislation did not cover dog fouling in certain areas, or allow local authorities to ban dogs from certain areas, or to order dogs to be kept on leads in certain areas.
The council says it is not likely to need to recruit additional staff as a result of the control orders, and says it does not foresee issuing large numbers of fixed penalties.
The public consultation will end on Tuesday, September 30. No date has yet been set for the announcement of the result.
Responses can be sent to: Environmental Protection, South Northants Council, Springfields, Towcester, Northants, NN12 6AE. Alternatively, email staff at
dogcontrolorders@southnorthants.gov.ukThe full article contains 253 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
