Irresponsible dog owners in the Tendring district face £100 fines under new measures to target dog fouling and nuisance dogs off leads.
A district-wide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) will give council officers powers to issue on the spot fines to dog owners who fail to pick up dog mess or refuse to put a dog on a lead when asked.
The PSPO comes into effect from August 1 and covers all public land – including TDC, town and parish council land – in the Tendring district. It was approved by the council’s cabinet following a 12-week public consultation and new signs stating the restrictions will be installed at a number of locations in the district.
Mike Bush, TDC’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “Residents asked us to take a tougher staff on dog fouling and this PSPO will strengthen our hand when dealing with irresponsible owners.”
He added: “The majority of dog owners clean up after their dog and ensure their pet is on a lead in public areas if it cannot be controlled by command, but there is a small minority of owners who do not. This order is another tool in the box for us to deal with them.”
PSPOs were first introduced to give local authorities the power to prohibit activities that have a detrimental effect on quality of life.
