Street care and cleaning Dog control orders
On 20 October 2017, the Dog Control Orders automatically converted to Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) under the requirements of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. This means that the provisions of the DCOs will now automatically be treated as if they were the provisions of PSPOs. These PSPOs will have effect for three years.
We carried out an extensive public consultation seeking to simplify the measures used for dog control across the Shropshire Council area.
The majority of respondents were in favour of revoking the various orders formerly made by borough and district councils and adopting three dog control orders to consistently tackle a variety of issues that will improve people's enjoyment of their local environment.
The orders are not unreasonably restrictive for dog owners as the majority of responsible owners will already be complying. The orders are intended to target the minority of irresponsible dog owners who spoil our beautiful county, causing a nuisance for the rest of us.
The orders came into force on 1 November 2013, with the former borough and district council orders being revoked simultaneously. The orders being revoked are linked to this page for information.
Our Public Notice for the Making of Dog Control Orders document gives more detail.
The fouling of land by dogs order
This order makes it an offence for a person in control of a dog to fail to clean up after their dog has fouled on land to which the order applies. The order applies to most publicly accessible land in our area.
Dogs on leads by direction order
This gives officers, authorised by us, the power to request that dogs are put on leads where they are not under the appropriate control of their owner, or where they are causing alarm or distress. The order applies to most publicly accessible land in our area.
Dog exclusion order
This order makes it an offence for a person in control of a dog to allow their dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded. Dogs are excluded from entering:
- Equipped children’s play areas
- Fenced off or marked out sporting areas
- Fenced off war memorials
- Dog-free areas in specified open spaces
Maps of the areas affected by these orders are found in the related documents section on this page.
Anyone who breaches a dog control order can be prosecuted in a magistrates court, or alternatively be issued with a fixed penalty notice or an environmental crime report. An environmental crime report is a form of warning that can lead to a fixed penalty notice being issued if considered appropriate. Breach of a control order can attract a maximum fine of level 3 on that standard scale (currently £1000).
There will be exemptions for blind people with guide dogs and disabled people using trained assistance dogs. For more information, please email central.division@shropshire.gov.uk.
The orders and associated information are available for viewing at our Service Points during normal opening hours.
The orders can also be inspected and copies obtained from us at Environmental Maintenance – Central Division, 107 Longden Road, Shrewsbury, Shropshire, SY3 9EL by prior arrangement.
Email central.division@shropshire.gov.uk to make an appointment.