Dog fouling and controlling dogs in public places Public Spaces Protection Order

The majority of dog owners act responsibly by cleaning up after their pets and keeping them under control in public places.

However, we do get complaints of dog fouling and of nuisance behaviour from dogs that are not under proper control.

We have introduced a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) (PDF) to give us greater flexibility in tackling irresponsible dog owners and incidents involving dogs.

Some replace existing powers while others are new. 

The order: -

  • Continues to exclude dogs from all enclosed children’s play areas within the county borough

  • Requires dogs to be kept on leads in enclosed memorial gardens situated in the county borough

  • Requires dog owners to remove dog faeces on any land. You must clean up after your dog in all public places in Caerphilly County Borough. Please dispose of your dog mess carefully. If out walking, please use the number of public litter bins throughout the county borough. Report dog fouling

  • Requires dog walkers to carry an appropriate receptacle for dealing with the waste that dog dog(s) produce. This requirement aims to ensure that dog walkers always have the means (i.e. a receptacle) to pick up their dog’s faeces

  • Require dog owners to put their dogs on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer on any public land where the dog is considered to be out of control or causing alarm or distress or to prevent a nuisance

Related documents

Exemptions

Please note that a registered blind person, or a person with a disability affecting their mobility, manual dexterity or ability to lift, carry or move everyday objects and who relies upon a dog trained by a prescribed charity for assistance is exempt from the dog fouling order.

Background information

What are PSPOs?

PSPOs are a new provision, created by the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 intended to deal with any particular nuisances or problems in a defined area that are detrimental to the local community's quality of life. They can help by giving local authorities and police additional powers to tackle anti-social behaviour. The aim is to stop individuals or groups committing anti-social behaviour in public spaces by introducing restrictions on the use of an area.

If anyone fails to meet the requirements of the PSPO or to comply with a request from a police office, police community support officer (PCSO) or authorised council officer, they could be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of up to £100 or prosecuted. However, these measures are designed to deal with extremes of anti-social behaviour and authorised officers will take a proportionate and common sense approach in their application.

The PSPO in Caerphilly CBC replaces current dog fouling legislation, and Dog Control Orders (DCOs), as well as introduce new measures to help tackle irresponsible dog owners. 

The PSPO consolidates the existing dog fouling powers we have under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 and the current Dog Control Orders from the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2006 into a single Order.

The new powers nhance the council's ability to deal with irresponsible dog owners by making it an offence to fail to put a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer, allowing a dog onto marked sports playing pitches and enclosed memorial gardens. It is an offence not to have the means to pick up their dog's faeces when asked to do so - this would mean that if a dog walker could not produce, when requested by an authorised officer, a poop bag or similar they would risk being issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.

The PSPO will remain in place for three (3) years after which it can be reviewed.  The PSPO can also be varied at any time within this period.