Council fines pair for ‘walking too many dogs’ in a Belfast park

AN obscure rule that has been in force at Belfast City Council for five years has resulted in two people being fined — for walking too many dogs.

According to the council’s response to a Freedom of Information request, the pair were fined £80 for the offence in Tullycarnet Park two years ago.

The fixed penalty notices were issued under The Dogs (Specified Maximum) (Belfast) Order 2012, which came into force in April 2013.

“On land to which this order applies, the maximum number of dogs which a person may take onto that land is four,” the order reads.

If the fines are not paid within 14 days, the council is able to take the offender to court.

The incidents, in September 2016, is the only time the rule has been enforced since it came into being.

“Four i s generally accepted as t he maximum number of dogs any one person may safely control,” the council said.

The order was created under The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act (NI) 2011 and covers the Belfast City Council area, including all parks and open spaces.

When the rule was being discussed in 2013, the DUP’s Christopher Stalford, who is now an MLA for South Belfast, questioned its possible impact on professional dog walkers.

Some c l ai med dog walkers could feel “discriminated against” under the new rule, according to council minutes.

The 11 public authorities here The maximum number of dogs a person may take onto city council land, according to the Dogs

Order 2012

The fine handed to two people for exceeding that number in Tullycarnet

Park in 2016 have responsibility for dog licensing, fines for fouling and dealing with strays.

Wardens are employed to deal with incidents involving dogs on council land.

Earlier this week Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council had to apologise to a woman after she was mistakenly informed by a dog warden that a stray animal she had rescued had been put down.

Catherine Ward (22) was told the lurcher she found in a car park at Valley Park had been put to sleep.

She was told this despite her request that it should be sent to the Dogs Trust. That charity operates a “no kill” policy.

However, it later emerged the dog had not been euthanased by the council.

The confusion was put down to a “miscommunication”.