Shrewsbury Council to issue fines over menacing dogs
Following on from Wandsworth Council’s crackdown on dog owners, Shrewsbury Council has also decreed new measures that dog walkers must adhere to.
Plans being drawn up by Shrewsbury Town Council and Shropshire Council signal the start of fixed penalty notices being issued to dog owners who do not have their pet on a lead when walking on land owned by the council.
The penalties would be enforced by special dog wardens, who have the authority to decide if the dog is causing a nuisance to members of the public.
The tough new measures come after a summer which saw an increase in reports of dogs attacking, or otherwise menacing, innocent residents of the borough.
It is advisable that owners act responsibly with their dog; training is a must, but dog insurance can be taken out to protect an owner in the event that their pet injures somebody. Clerk of Shrewsbury Town Council, Helen Ball, commented:
“We’re looking at Shropshire Council’s plans to potentially update dog control orders which they are reviewing at the moment.”
“This could include recreation and sporting facilities and mean dogs must be kept on leads in those areas.”
“We discussed whether or not to extend this to the Quarry but decided that officers could tell people to put their dogs on leads and that would be adequate.”
“We are training staff to raise awareness about issues with dogs so they can issue fixed penalty notices if a dog is off the lead causing trouble.”
Currently, there is no indication that the council’s plans will go as far as Wandsworth’s, which forbid long leashes for dogs.
