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New controls to tackle dog fouling in Cardiff’s public spaces
New controls aimed at tackling dog fouling in Cardiff’s public spaces - including £100 fines for dog owners who are found without the means of clearing up after their animal - could come into force before the end of the year. 

The recommendations, which will be considered by the Council’s Cabinet on Thursday, March 21, follow an extensive public consultation which received more than 6,000 responses.

Some 88% of respondents to the consultation agreed that enforcement measures should be put in place to ensure that dog owners/walkers carry bags or other suitable means for the disposal of dog faeces.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Councillor Peter Bradbury, said:  “We’ve listened carefully to feedback from dog owners in this consultation and even dropped initial proposals to exclude dogs from marked sports pitches on Council land. The majority of dog owners were against this proposal and we’ve taken their views on board.

“We will, however, be looking at introducing new fines for dog owners/walkers who cannot demonstrate they have the means to clean up after their pet.

“We know the majority of dog owners are responsible, keep their dogs under control and clean up after their pets, which is why 88% of them have backed this proposal. But unfortunately, thanks to an irresponsible minority, we receive hundreds of complaints every year about dog faeces and there continues to be issues across Cardiff where dogs are not controlled properly.

“Our public spaces should be areas that everyone can enjoy and most responsible dog owners are as fed up with the behaviour of the irresponsible minority as the people who use our pitches for sports and other recreational activities.”

The recommended proposals which Cabinet will decide on include:

·         The prohibition of dog fouling in all public spaces owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.

·         The requirement for a dog owner to have a means of clearing dog fouling.

·         The exclusion of dogs from all enclosed playgrounds and schools, which are owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.

·         The requirement that dogs are kept on a lead within all cemeteries owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.

·         A requirement allowing authorised officers to give a direction that a dog(s) be put and kept on a lead if necessary.

·         The fixed penalty notice charge for a breach of a Public Spaces Protection Order for dog controls, as set out above, is set at £100.

·         The dog controls will be exempt for people who have a disability that affects their mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by a registered charity and upon which the person relies upon for assistance.

·Cllr Bradbury, added: “We’ve listened really carefully to the feedback from last year’s consultation. These proposals give us the powers necessary to target an irresponsible minority, but allow the majority of dog owners the freedom to continue enjoying our public spaces in the responsible fashion that they do now.

“We will work with dog owner groups to ensure the smooth implementation of any changes over the coming year.”