A Public Space Protection Order on dog control has come in force today.
Dogs must be kept on a lead on the highway, Dog walkers must clean up their dogs poo, unless the walker is exempt due to disability or the dog is exempt because it is a working dog.
The police, civil enforcement officers (traffic wardens) and council officers will be able to impose the fines. Those that are caught not obeying the rules will get a £100 fixed penalty notice with the prospect of much higher fines and costs if the matter goes to court.
The new rules
The County of Shropshire Dog Control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) 2023 requires dog walkers to:
- Clean up the poo. Dog walkers must immediately clean up and remove any faeces which have been deposited by the dog.
- Disposing of the poo. Faeces must be disposed of by being bagged and taken away or put into a public litter or dog waste bin. This means no hanging poo bags on trees or tossing them into bushes.
- Dog walkers must comply with any request from any authorised officer of Shropshire Council, a police officer, or police community support officer to clean up and remove any dog faeces.
The PSPO also excludes dogs from specified areas:
- Dog exclusion zones including any enclosed public children’s play area, playground or similar enclosed area. This includes play areas owned by parish and town councils, if signed at the entrances as a dog exclusion zone.
Dog leads:
- Dogs must be kept on a lead no more than 1 metre in length on the highway.
- If instructed by an authorised person (see below), they must put their dog on a lead except where there is a reasonable excuse including the landowner’s permission.
Enforcement
Fixed penalty notices under the PSPO can be handed out by a police constable, police community support officer (PCSO), any officer or person authorised by Shropshire Council, including civil enforcement officers (traffic wardens).
Exemptions
Some dog walkers are exempt from the rules:
- Registered blind people.
- People with disabilities with assistance dogs trained by a charity.
- Working dogs, including those being used for work in emergency search and rescue, herding or shepherding animals, law enforcement and the work of the armed forces. The exemption will only apply while the dog is working.
The PSPO recognises the following charities as providing assistance dogs:
- Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
- Dogs for the Disabled
- Support Dogs
- Canine Partners for Independence
- Assistance Dogs UK
- Guide Dogs
- Kennel Club Charitable Trust
- Dogs Trust.
Scope
The PSPO applies to all of Shropshire. A similar order is in force in Telford & Wrekin.
The order will be in place until 31 May 2027.
Somewhat better than the first proposal from the council but you do wonder why the council chooses to debate certain things and not others.
Why talk about a Shrewsbury bypass when we already have one and when the council can’t manage the existing roads. They would say its down to money but they could spend time getting the money, stamping their feet at the Tory government who they support.
what have the council done to provide council housing, and I do mean council housing not housing trust. Where are their initiatives
What have they done for locally generated renewable energy apart from blocking or timing out energy projects.
We can only hope that the puppets in power in Westminster are so discredited that we shall see a change of guard at county hall. They are well meaning people but have not delivered, not in the 35 years I have lived in Shropshire.
Dear Andy,
Thanks for the information. Sadly our dog died three years ago, but we would like another. I thought all of those things were already in existence. Not new. You start off by talking about leads on the public highway. Are the rules re faeces only applicable to the public highway. E.g. Mortimer Forrest and Whitcliffe too. Personally I never let our dog off in these places either.
Many thanks.
Jennifer
The PSPO only applies to Shropshire Council land and the highway. Any restrictions on Mortimer Forest and Whitcliffe would be down to Forest England or the trustees of Whitcliffe. Currently there are none