Village residents who exercise their four legged friends in public places now need to be careful not to ‘fall foul’ of new regulations.
Under amended rules which came into force today (Friday 8th July 2022) all dog owners/walkers in Rushcliffe must now carry a bag or have other means to pick up dog waste after their pet whenever out and about – otherwise face a possible £100 fine if unable to produce one on request.
Proposals for a Dog Control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) across the entire Borough were approved at a Full Council meeting of Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) yesterday. The authority says initially its action will focus on engaging and educating dog owners about their responsibilities and responding to complaints in hotspot areas.
Fixed penalties will then be issued to offenders – but with a reduction for early repayment.
The move follows two consultations last year involving town and parish councils and residents – with the latter receiving over 700 responses – which RBC says overwhelmingly supported the additional PSPO rules. They replace the previous dog fouling order, and now cover all public land in the Borough to which the public have access to. The only exception is Tollerton – which has created an exemption area “in line with local partners’ wishes”.
Here in Ruddington there is no such exemption! Indeed, the new powers also allow for further action to be taken on those who do not observe dog exclusion zones. These will now apply to all children’s play areas, multi-use games areas, skate parks and gym equipment zones which are either fenced or enclosed.
It warns specific engagement and action will take place to ensure dogs are kept on a leash in the current ‘dogs on lead’ specified areas within Rushcliffe Country Park – as indicated with local signage.
Councillors voted for the new ‘poo prevention’ rules after hearing that dog fouling on public footpaths and playing fields can cause many problems. In the worst cases, it can lead to blindness due to an infection called toxocariasis caused by the round worm Toxocara Canis found in dog faeces.
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis says: “We’re aware the vast majority of dog owners take their responsibilities seriously and these new powers are there to tackle the minority who flout the rules, including those who routinely don’t carry bags to clear up. We are keen to protect residents from any of the issues dog fouling raises and the overwhelming support from stakeholders to last year’s consultations shows we have a strong mandate to educate further and take action.”
Cllr Inglis adds:“The emphasis will be on engaging and educating dog owners and only applying fines where necessary. Our message to all dog owners is to always carry bags to ensure you’re ready to do the right thing and always pick up after your pet.”
More information about RBC’s new rules can be viewed >>HERE<<.
