Inconsiderate dog owners will be slapped with £100 fines under new rules from Rochdale Council.
Town hall bosses have imposed a new public spaces protection order (PSPO) in relation to dog fouling. Council and police officers now have the power to issue a £100 fines to those caught not picking up their dog’s faeces in public places.
This fine would be reduced to £60 if payment is prompt.
Money generated from fines would be used by the local authority to address dog fouling, litter, and environmental quality related issues across the borough, the meeting in Number One Riverside was told.
Dog owners not clearing up their pets excrement has been ‘a huge problem’ in the borough, according to Coun Shah Wazir. The highways boss, went on to say that dog owners have pets by choice and have a responsibility to clear up after them.
Council papers showed massive public support for the PSPO, with 97 per cent of the 418 residents in the consultation backing the scheme.
Coun Daniel Meredith told the meeting: “I am glad this has come forward. Residents have contacted me on a number of occasions about dog fouling outside of schools.
“It is good we’ve got this high level of support. It’s not about telling off responsible dog owners, this is about those that let their dogs do whatever they want.”
When he pressed the council officer as to whether dog poo left in a bag hung up counts as falling foul of this new PSPO order, Coun Meredith was told yes.
When Coun Daalat Ali asked how this would be enforced, he was told that officers would patrol the hotspot areas where there are greater reports of dog fouling. After accepting Greater Manchester Police may be too busy to dish out fines for irresponsible dog owners, the officer told the meeting that GMP would be called in if enforcement of a fine was met with ‘aggressive behaviour’.
Exemptions would apply to those with mobility disabilities as well as blind and deaf people using assistance dogs, town hall chiefs were told.
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