By Jamie Waller, Local Democracy Reporter
The rules on where pet owners can and can’t let their dogs off lead in Bassetlaw are set to be extended after almost unanimous public support.
The Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) for dog control aims to let pets exercise in open spaces without becoming a nuisance.
It’s part of a legal tool used by the council to clamp down on irresponsible pet ownership. PSPOs are routinely in place across the country for similar purposes.
The Bassetlaw order bans dogs from fenced children’s play areas in Worksop, Retford and the rest of the district, and they must also be kept on the lead in burial grounds.
Owners are also required to pick up their pets’ waste and be able to show they have the bags to do so when asked.
Breaching the order can result in a fixed penalty notice of £100, or a fine of up to £1,000 if this isn’t paid.
The dog control order was first introduced in 2015 and will be renewed for a further three years at the full council meeting on Thursday (August 8).
A total of 384 people participated in the consultation on whether it should be continued, with almost everyone in favour and only a handful of objections to certain aspects.
Several parish councils have requested dog control areas are added or removed, and Bassetlaw District Council has recommended two for approval.
Dogs are likely to be banned from the new children’s playground on Barford Close in Shireoaks.
They are currently excluded from Ball Park on Smeath Lane in Clarborough but will be allowed on leads.
The renewed order with any approved changes will come into force from September 1.
A council report says that the orders are used as sparingly as possible.
“The objective has been to avoid punishing the majority of responsible owners as a means to address negative actions of a minority,” it says.
“An overly restrictive use of ‘dogs on leads’ or ‘dog ban’ requirements may indirectly discriminate against residents with a disability, who may be less able to travel to a location where a dog can be allowed off a lead.”
