Signs to tackle dog menace

Audlem Parish Council look set to press ahead with dog control signs on the village playing fields.

The move comes despite councillors being told they have no powers of enforcement should dog owners simply choose to ignore the signs.

The signs will ask that dog owners to keep their pets on leads when crossing or using the village playing field.

Parish councillors were told at its March meeting that the former Crewe and Nantwich Borough Council had failed to replace former Dog Byelaws which were phased out in 2006 and replaced with new Dog Control Orders.

"Crewe and Nantwich never got any new Dog Control Orders so the signs can go up but we can't enforce them," councillors were told.

But getting a Dog Control Order should not be a problem for the Parish Council according to Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs).

Its website says that Dog Control Orders can now be made at a local level by any parish or community council.

The website adds: "Unlike the former Dog Byelaws, Control Orders can be made at a local level by a local authority or a parish council."

"Dog byelaws are local laws which apply to land designated by local authorities, parish, town and community councils."

"These byelaws can require people to keep their dog on a lead, require people to keep their dog on a lead if directed to do so, require people to clear up after their dogs, ban dogs from beaches and ban dogs completely."

Breach of a control order can attract a maximum fine of £1000 and an order can be made on any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access (with or without payment).

Details of the use and scope of Dog Control Orders can be downloaded from the Defra website by clicking here:

Dogs left loose to foul the village playing fields has been a problem for years and the move to erect warning signs is the latest attempt to tackle the issue.

Perhaps the Parish Council could consider creating its own Dog Control Orders in the never-ending battle against irresponsible pet owners.

The Defra website also points out that restrictions on areas designated under the defunct Dog Byelaws continue to apply under the new Dog Control Orders so it may well be that dog control measures in Audlem may well already be enforcable. A request to Cheshire East could quickly settle the matter.

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