Public may fine dog owners over muck
Last updated at 14:12, Wednesday, 29 February 2012
MEMBERS of the public could be given powers to fine dog owners who fail to clean up their pets’ poo.
Rob Kitchen, South Lakeland District Council street care client officer, said residents and councillors could be awarded the powers of the council enforcement officers who hand out fixed penalty notices to offenders.
Mr Kitchen made the announcement as he told a meeting of Ulverston Town Council about SLDC’s public consultation to gauge opinion on the introduction of Dog Control Orders. Under the orders, dogs would be excluded from any land which is home to a children’s play area or sports ground owned or managed by SLDC.
Mr Kitchen told the meeting on Monday night: “One of the points I’m drafting a service review for, and one of the thoughts we have put to the board, is for members of the parish and town councils or members of the public – someone you can trust – to enforce and monitor a given area and be authorised to issue a fixed penalty.
“We have got it fixed in our minds how we want it to work and, if we are able to do it, I think it really could work well.”
There are four enforcement officers for South Lakeland and their work also includes the monitoring of fly-tipping and work carried out by council contractors.
Councillor Colin Williams, groundsman at Ford Park where many dog owners exercise their pets, pointed out the park, land privately owned by the Ford Park charity, was not listed for a Dog Control Order, and asked what options were open to the trustees.
Mr Kitchen said: “Landowners can have the responsibility to enforce the same powers we are about to enforce. We can give legal support and guidance but it’s up to the landowner.”
First published at 13:14, Wednesday, 29 February 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk
Dan (2nd March, 10:44) "you cannot take photos of people without consent".
Whatever makes you think that?Yes you can and it's perfectly legal.A pretty good way to catch offenders if you ask me. I'm never without my camera and most people have them on their mobile phones these days too.In fact why not have a service where we can text photos directly to the police?Then nobody has to approach these scumbags?!
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how many people out there have stood in dog poo and taken it into your home,into your carpets and everywhere else in house.not acceptable, the idiot who goes on about horses should stand on his street pavement and count the horses that go by.or the pink elephants he might see on a friday night.
Posted by gazza on 12 March 2012 at 20:08