South Yorkshire council extends dog controls

City of Doncaster Council has renewed its public spaces protection order (PSPO) for dog control following a public consultation.

A PSPO has been in place across Doncaster since 2017, making clear what people in charge of dogs must and must not do. It requires them to ensure that pets are wearing leads in certain parts of the city, identifies those places that dogs cannot be taken for safety reasons, and stipulates that they must always pick up after dogs when they are in a public area. In addition, the order specifies that the person in charge of the animal must be able to produce a suitable means of picking up after it when asked to do so by a relevant council officer.

Those caught breaching any of the rules enforced by the order could be hit with a fine of up £100. City of Doncaster Council has issued 324 of these fixed penalty notices for dog control offences over the past three years.

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Safer Communities, Councillor Glyn Jones, said: “We are pleased to announce that the dog control PSPO has been renewed, following a consultation earlier in the year that evidenced strong public support for its various prohibitions.

“The measure enables us to really crack down on certain unwanted behaviours, including dog fouling, and prevent people from spoiling our neighbourhoods and beautiful outdoor spaces.”