Dog owners face £100 fines under tough new rules due to come into force within weeks

Shropshire Council has confirmed that it will be going ahead with the dog constraints Public Spaces Protection Order which will also ban dogs from fenced play and sports areas and requires them to be on a lead on the highways.

Officers will also have the power to ask for a dog to be put on a lead in public areas where they are not under control of their owner or are acting aggressively.

The PSPO will enable Shropshire Council and the police to issue fixed penalty notices of £100 – or £50 if paid within 10 days – to owners who allow their animal to foul pavements and public amenity spaces without clearing up afterwards.

Confirmation comes after proposals were made to Shropshire Council’s Cabinet in October 2023 to introduce a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for Shropshire to help tackle dog fouling and nuisance, in response to public complaints.

Following an eight-week public consultation into the proposals, a number of amendments were made, and Shropshire Council’s Cabinet has recently agreed to introduce the PSPO.

The order was made on Wednesday April 17, 2024 and is now subject to an appeal period of six weeks before it can come into force on Saturday June 1, 2024.

The order will not apply to a person who is registered as a blind person, has a disability which affects their mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination, or to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by a prescribed charity upon which they rely for assistance.

If the dog is a working dog, including dogs that are being used for work in connection with emergency search and rescue, herding or sheep herding animals, law enforcement and the work of the armed forces. These exemptions will only apply whilst the dog is working.

An Equalities and Social Inclusion Health Impact Assessment has been completed and anticipates a positive impact across the protected characteristic groupings and across the county, due to health and wellbeing benefits for everyone in the community, if there is less dog fouling as a result of this policy being implemented.

Owners will only have two grounds to make an appeal against the PSPO and must apply to the High Court within six weeks of the PSPO being made.

The order may be challenged in the High Court by anyone who lives, works in, or regularly visits the PSPO area.

There are two grounds on which the application to appeal against can be made:

The local authority was not empowered to issue the order, modify it, or add specific restrictions or conditions set by the order.

The PSPO requirements under the statute was not compiled with in relation to the order.

The High Court can suspend or stop the PSPO if it believes the local authority were not empowered to make or vary the PSPO.

Once the order is in place it will be implemented with a public education and information campaign advising on heath considerations, the impact of dog nuisance and the reasons for enforcement action. The campaign will aim to educate and encourage pet owners to act responsibly.

People can report a dog-related concern/issue

If you have any dog-related concerns or would like to report an issue, please report directly to Shropshire Council via one of the routes below:

Report on Shropshire Council’s website

Call the Customer Service Centre on 0345 678 9006.

Report via the FixMyStreet mobile app.