Dog control orders set to be considered by South Tyneside Council’s Cabinet

Councillors will be asked to approve a three-year extension to the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) addressing dog control in South Tyneside next week.

The current PSPO ensures that owners must clean up after their dogs, requires dogs to be on leads in certain areas and restricts the places where dogs are allowed, such as beaches in the summer months.

The extension request comes due to the fact that the current order is set to expire.

The Cabinet discussion follows a four-week public consultation, which received 320 responses.

Of the people who responded, 97% felt that it was important to control the way that people look after their dogs and the environment in shared public spaces.

Cllr Jim Foreman, Lead Member for Housing and Community Safety, has highlighted that the PSPO allows the locla authority to clearly set out rules for everyone.

He said: “These orders help ensure public spaces are safe and enjoyable for everyone to use and provide councils with a tool to tackle persistent problems that may be damaging to their communities.

“We know the majority of dog owners are responsible, but we need measures in place to address issues like fouling and dogs being in areas where they are not permitted.

“The PSPO enables us to clearly set out the rules that apply to all, such as picking up after your dog, keeping your pet on a lead in certain areas or keeping them out of specific places altogether, like children’s play areas.

“More than four out of five people who responded during the consultation felt that without the PSPO being extended, problems associated with dogs in public places would return.”

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The PSPOs are enforceable by a Fixed Penalty Notice which can be issued by the Police, Police Community Support Officers, or any authorised officer of the Council.

South Tyneside Council states that dog fouling remains an issue in the borough, generating around 200 reports to the local authority each year from residents.

Should the Cabinet approve the dog control PSPO extension, it will take effect from November 5 and last for three years.