Have your say on Dog Control Orders

29 January 2013

South Lakeland District Council is formally consulting on Dog Control Orders (DCOs) following last year’s Clean Streets’ consultation

The Clean Streets’ consultation showed strong support from the public for the introduction of local controls on dogs. The majority of those asked, including dog owners, agreed that they wanted more dog controls especially when it came to dog fouling.

SLDC is to proceed to the next stage which is a statutory consultation about proposals for four separate dog control orders.

The first order  is a  Fouling of Land by Dogs Order and  this  would make it an offence for any person who doesn’t clean up after their dog on land where this order applies.

The second order is for a Dog on Leads by Direction Order which would make it an offence for any person to not  comply  with an instruction by an authorised officer of SLDC to put and keep a dog on a lead of not more than four metres

The Dogs on Lead Order, is the third order and would make it an offence for any person in charge of a dog to fail to keep that dog on a lead of up to four metres on land where the order applies.

The final one is the Dogs Exclusion Order and would makes it an offence for any person in charge of a dog to take the animal onto, or permit it to enter or remain on, any land to which the order relates (at any time).

CouncillorClare Feeney-Johnson, portfolio holder for Environment and Sustainability, said: “The proposals we are consulting on are for dog control orders that will introduce measures to control the inappropriate behaviour of those dog owners who can spoil the enjoyment of others and for the majority of responsible dog owners.  South Lakeland District Council launched the Clean Streets consultation in response to calls from residents to address a number of street cleansing issues. This formal consultation is legally required and enables the public to consider the precise wording of the orders and the areas of land which are to be affected by the orders.

“Hopefully we can educate people to keep their dogs under control and to clean up after their pets. But by having these orders in place we would have the authority to take enforcement action against irresponsible dog owners.”

Statutory notice of SLDC’s intention to introduce the orders is being advertised and interested parties have 30 days to make representations to the council on their views of the orders. The orders and areas they cover are available to view at the council offices at South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, LA9 4UQ between 9.00am and 5.00pm Monday to Friday (excluding bank holidays).

Alternatively, copies of all DCOs and accompanying plans can be inspected on the website from 31 January 2013. Further copies can be requested by post by calling 0845 050 4434 during normal working hours or by sending an email request to customer.services@southlakeland.gov.uk

Representations in respect of any or all of the Orders may be made by 4 March 2013.  The Council will consider any representations received when deciding whether to make each of the orders. Please note that all representations received together with the name and address of the person making them could become available for public inspection. If any person wishes their name and address details to remain confidential then they should make this clear. Representations should be sent in writing to Keith Moore, Customer Service Manager South Lakeland District Council, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, Cumbria LA9 4UQ or email customer.services@southlakeland.gov.uk before 12 noon on Monday 4March 2013. Please ensure that the representations refer to the Order(s) to which they relate. 

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