Should irresponsible dog owners be fined?

Fines of up to £100 could soon be introduced to tackle issues with dog fouling and irresponsible dog ownership in Bridgend County Borough.

A public consultation has begun over a proposal to fine dog owners who don’t pick up after their pets in public areas, while anyone who is walking their pooch without carrying a supply of dog waste bags could be fined too. Failure to keep a dog under control in public areas would also become an offence.

To impose such restrictions, Bridgend County Borough Council would need to create a new Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), but wants to gather local opinion first.

The consultation involves completing a short online survey, and residents have until 26 February 2019 to share their views.

We receive a lot of complaints about dog fouling in our communities. As a dog owner myself, I’m absolutely disgusted when I see irresponsible dog owners who don’t clean up after their dogs, leaving their mess on our streets and green spaces. Anyone walking a dog should always be fully equipped with a dog waste bag ready to do the right thing. Your dog can’t pick it up themselves!

Despite considerable efforts to promote responsible dog ownership, it is still an issue locally. So, as well as introducing fines to tackle dog fouling we’re also proposing to make it an offence if a dog walker fails to put or keep their dog on a lead in public places when requested to do so by a council officer.

We think that fines would act as a strong deterrent, but what do residents think? If you have a view on this matter, please have your say by completing the consultation.

Councillor Richard Young, Cabinet Member for Communities

The ‘Public Space Protection Order Consultation’ can be completed online before the closing date of 26 February 2019. A report on the findings will then be presented to Cabinet Members from the local authority in April 2019.