2,000 sign up to fight council dog ban plan
APETITION challenging Sefton Council’s proposed crackdown on dog owners has gained more than 2,000 signatures.
Planned changes could mean dogs being banned from playgrounds, sports pitches and sections of beaches.
They would also be required to be kept on a lead at all times when on public roads and footpaths, in cemeteries, and at designated wildlife areas.
The petition, started by Lyn Hilton, aims to challenge plans to stop dogs being exercised off-lead in some public places.
It has collected more than 1,000 signatures online, and a further 1,000 on a physical petition, and states: “Dogs have a right to appropriate exercise under the Animal Welfare Act 2006.
“The council is seeking powers to ban this in almost all public spaces and make it a criminal offence.
“It is a disproportionate blanket approach and does not address the lack of resources to tackle real issues of concern such as dog fouling and irresponsible ownership.
“There are better balanced and more effective ways of working with dog owners and the community.
“It will have a negative impact on dogs and on people by creating a disincentive to use our countryside and adopt a healthy lifestyle of regular exercise.”
Sefton Council put forward the changes in a proposal for public space protection order (PSPO), open for a public consultation until April 11.
Restrictions could also be imposed on the number of dogs that one person can walk at once, following reports of an increase in the number of professional dog walkers who struggle to control animals.
PSPOs are used to used to protect the public from behaviour that can have a harmful effect on their quality of life.
The council says the changes are suggested to maintain a healthy and safe environment.
Further suggestions include requiring owners to carry some method of cleaning dog fouling, and giving officers the powers to require dogs be put on a lead if they are deemed to be acting in an aggressive or threatening manner. The PSPO states: “The council already has in place a number of existing powers to deal with offenders who allow their dogs to foul and not remove their dogs fouling forthwith by issuing £75 fixed penalty notice. Equally, offenders who allow their dogs to be dangerously out of control in a public or private place are subject to formal action in the courts following investigation.
“Following consultation with the dog warden service, parks and greenspaces and coast and countryside services, it became apparent that a number of complaints had been received both officially and anecdotally from local councillors, residents and visitors to the authority.
“These complaints related to various activities including dogs acting aggressively or in a threatening manner, or not under control, increased levels of fouling left by dog walkers on the highway, within parks, recreational areas and coastal locations, disturbance of wildlife and nesting sites and dogs being out of control.
“Sefton is responsible for 22km with the existing dog free zones covering approximately 2km. Although sufficient signage is provided in both these areas to inform dog walkers that dogs are prohibited, unfortunately some irresponsible dog walkers still ignore this information.”
It concludes: “The council believes these changes will benefit local communities, neighbourhoods and the local economy, as they will help in the creation and maintenance of clean, safe and healthy neighbourhoods town centres and visitor destinations.”