Dog Control Orders

In order to provide a safer and cleaner environment for residents and visitors and following consultation with the public and residents, Elmbridge Borough Council has introduced new Dog Control Orders to replace current byelaws surrounding dogs.

|Dog control orders can give powers to local authorities under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act to deal with the following offences.

a) Fouling of land by dogs or failing to remove dog faeces;
b) Not keeping a dog on a lead;( i.e. cemeteries, within 100m of commons car parks and also on the areas of heathland if protected ground nesting birds are found to be breeding.)
c) Not putting, and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer;
d) Permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded.(i.e.play areas, fenced sports areas, flower beds in parks,conservation areas in parks and ponds/lakes)
e) Taking more than a specified number of dogs onto land.(i.e.upto and including four dogs per handler)

The Dog Control Orders apply to land open to the public in Elmbridge.

For further information on the areas affected by this proposal please visit our |Dog Control Order areas page.

Dog Control Orders Summary of Consultation

The public consultation regarding the introduction of Dog Control Orders in Elmbridge was open from 1 October to 30 November 2009. In all, 3242 respondents completed the public survey. It should be noted that the dominant age groups of respondents was 35-44 (24%) and 45-54 (32%). Elmbridge Borough Residents represented 83.4% of responses. Elmbridge Borough Council's Residents Panel was also consulted. This has a current membership of 1200. In all, 731 panel members completed the survey.

Summary of Results

Dog Fouling

- 68% of the residents panel agreed that dog fouling is a problem is Elmbridge's green spaces and 11% disagreed. 33% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 49% disagreed.
- 88% of the residents panel were in favour of the introduction of enforcement powers to make sure dog owners remove their mess in designated green spaces and 7% were against. 67% of respondents from the public consultation were in favour and 25% against.
- 84% of the residents panel were in favour of the introduction of a penalty charge if dog owners fail to remove their dog's mess from designated green spaces and 9% were against. 64% of respondents from the public agreed with the penalty charge and 26% were against.
- The Residents' Panel thought dog fouling should be prohibited in recreation grounds (81%), cemeteries (75%) and parks (71%). 77% of respondents from the public consultation felt that dog fouling should be prohibited in recreation grounds, 85% in cemeteries and 55% in parks.

Dogs on Leads

- 39% of the Residents panel agreed that dogs not being kept on a lead is a problem in Elmbridge's green spaces and 25% disagreed. Only 8% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 84% disagreed.
- 59% of panel members were in favour of the introduction of enforcement powers to ensure dog owners/walkers keep their dogs on leads in designated green spaces and 23% against. 13% of respondents from the public consultation were in favour and 81% against.
- 78% of residents panel members thought that dog owners should be given the opportunity to put their dogs on leads when instructed to do so by an authorised officer before they are issued with a fine in the designated spaces and 13% disagreed. 60% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 29% disagreed.

- 77% of the residents panel agreed that dogs should be kept on leads in the heathland areas where protected birds such as nightjar and woodlark are breeding during the nesting season from February to August and 12% disagreed. 32% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 56% disagreed.
- The majority of the Residents' Panel thought that dogs should be kept on leads in cemeteries (86%), within 100m of countryside car parks (67%) and healthand areas of commons where protected birds are nesting (77%). The respondents to the public consultation thought that dogs should be kept on leads in cemeteries (96%). Only 33% thought that dogs should be kept on leads within 100m of countryside car parks and 33% on healthand areas of commons where protected birds are nesting.

Dog Exclusion Areas

- From the residents panel, 57% agreed that Elmbridge Borough Council should introduce enforcement powers to prevent dogs owners from allowing their dogs to enter specific areas in designated green spaces* and 29% disagreed. 15% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 79% disagreed.
- 54% of the residents panel agreed that Elmbridge Borough Council should introduce a penalty if dog owners allow their dogs to enter specific areas in designated green spaces and 29% disagreed. 14% of respondents from the public consultation agreed and 79% disagreed.
- The vast majority of the Residents' Panel thought that dogs should be excluded from children's play areas in parks (94%) and fenced sport areas (90%). 67% thought they should be excluded from cemeteries and 65% from flower beds and shrubbery. Residents were divided on the question of conservation areas and water features, ponds and lakes. The respondents from the public consultation thought that dogs should be excluded from children's play areas in parks (94%) and fenced sport areas (89%). 65% thought they should be excluded from cemeteries and just 39% from flower beds and shrubbery. Respondents were against the question of conservation areas and water features, ponds and lakes. Only 15% of respondents agreed with excluding dogs from these.

Number of dogs

- Residents were asked if they agreed or disagreed that the number of dogs that can be walked by any one person should be limited to a maximum of three. From the Residents' Panel 68% agreed and 18% disagreed. 62% of respondents from the public consultation disagreed with a maximum of 3 dogs per handler and 25% agreed.
- 67% of the residents panel agreed that Elmbridge Borough Council should introduce enforcement powers to restrict the number of dogs a person can walk in designated green spaces and 17% disagreed. 62% of respondents from the public consultation disagreed and 26% agreed.
- 64% of the residents panel agreed that Elmbridge Borough Council should introduce a penalty if a person takes more dogs than permitted in designated open spaces and 18% disagreed. 65% of respondents from the public consultation disagreed and 22% agreed.

Overall Support for Dog Control Orders

- In total 69% of the residents panel supported the introduction of the Dog Control Orders, 20% said no and 11% said they didn't know. Overall, 80% of respondents to the public consultation did not support the introduction of Dog Control Orders, 15% said yes and 4% said they did not know.

The Council is delighted with the level of response to the public consultation and having listened very carefully to all the comments received, has agreed to proceed to make Dog Control Orders to cover the following issues:

Dog fouling
(i) Enforcement powers to make sure that dog owners remove dog faeces in parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries;
(ii) Penalty charges if the dog walkers fail to remove their dog faeces in parks, recreation grounds and cemeteries;

Dogs on leads
(iii) Enforcement powers to make sure that dog walkers keep their dogs on leads in cemeteries;
(iv) Penalty charges if the dog walkers fail to keep their dogs on leads in cemeteries;

Exclusion areas
(v) Enforcement powers to prevent dog walkers from allowing their dogs to enter children's play areas and fenced sports areas in parks, recreation grounds and open spaces;
(vi) Penalty charges if dog walkers allow their dogs to enter children's play areas and fenced sports areas in parks, recreation grounds and open spaces;

Number of dogs
(vii) Enforcement powers to restrict the number of dogs one handler can walk in the parks and recreation grounds to a maximum of 4;
(viii) A penalty if a person takes more than 4 dogs per handler onto parks and recreation grounds;

Other controls
(ix) All other controls canvassed in the public consultation be not proceeded with;

General
(x) In accordance with the legislation, a penalty of £75 be introduced for the above offences, reduced to £50 if paid within 14 days;
(xi) Enforcement of these orders to be carried out within existing resources. Staff including countryside rangers, grounds maintenance contractors and other authorised officers of the council to be authorised to carry out enforcement of the above orders;

(c) Advisory notices be put in place to encourage dog walkers to be considerate around ponds, flower beds and nature conservation areas;

(d) Professional dog walkers or owners of more than 4 dogs be encouraged to use countryside sites and to sign up to a dog charter, promoting responsible owners / walkers;

(e) Chatley Heath
The head of leisure and cultural services to write to surrey wildlife trust to advise them of the results of the consultation; and

(f) A one off capital sum of £6,000 and additional ongoing expenditure of £5,500 revenue costs for the provision of 29 additional poop scoop bins to be funded out of the respective 2010/11 capital and revenue corporate initiative budgets, be approved.