Dog Control PSPO 2023 consultation

• Dogs must be kept on leads at all times when on any land with public access, except for the land listed in the Schedule. You can see the existing Schedule of land where dogs can be let off leads here.
• Dog fouling must be cleaned up by the person in charge of the dog
• Dogs are excluded from children’s play areas.

Full details of the current rules, including exemptions, are set out in the existing City of Bristol (Dog Control) Public Space Protection Order 2020.

In addition, a separate PSPO prohibited dogs entering South Street Playing Fields in Bedminster. This is the Bristol City Council (Dogs Exclusion) (South Street Playing Fields, Bedminster) PSPO 2020.

Proposal to re-establish the city-wide PSPO relating to Dog Control

We recognise that the vast majority of dog owners continue to act responsibly. Being able to walk a dog and to enjoy areas of open space is important to owners and to the welfare of their animals. We do, however, continue to receive complaints about dog-related behaviour. Since 2020, we have received over 1,088 reports of stray dogs and 2,197 reports of dog fouling across the city. We are therefore proposing to renew the City of Bristol (Dog Control) PSPO 2020 to allow us to continue to address issues of dog control, including dog fouling. The proposed PSPO would be in place until December 2026.

The proposed Dog Control PSPO 2023 covers the entire city of Bristol. Please note that the council is not proposing to make any changes to the content of the existing PSPO, other than incorporating the restricted area of South Street Playing Fields into the city-wide PSPO, rather than renewing the separate order for this area.

The existing and proposed PSPO relating to dog control deal with three key aspects of potential nuisance associated with dog ownership:

Part 1: Dogs on Leads

The majority of dog owners act responsibly and keep their animals under good control. However, for some, if not properly supervised and kept under control or if allowed off their lead in a public place, there is potential for causing alarm and distress to people, involvement in road traffic accidents, or attacks on persons or other animals. The proposed order does not prohibit owners from letting their dogs off leads in the land listed in the Schedule. It does however provide officers with the power to request a dog be put on a lead if, for example, a dog is dangerously out of control in a public place.

Part 2: Dog Fouling

Again the majority of dog owners act responsibly and clear up after their dog. A minority do not pick up after their dog or do not dispose of it properly. Not only is this unsightly it also represents a health hazard, for example from Toxocariasis. The PSPO provides for sanctions creating criminal offences if the mess is either not picked up or disposed of properly.

Part 3: Dog Exclusions

Outdoor exercise and play for dogs is important, not only for their health but also wellbeing. The PSPO provides for dogs to use most parts of our public spaces, such as parks, with a few exceptions. The proposed PSPO excludes dogs from children's play areas that are surrounded on all sides by fences, gates, walls or other structures that mark the extent of the play area.

These three control measures replicate the controls in the existing Dog PSPO. In addition, the existing control excluding dogs from South Street Playing Fields, which is currently in a separate PSPO, has been replicated in the proposed city-wide PSPO. No other change is proposed.