Dog Control Order & Community Protection Notices

Tough new legal powers to help prevent thousands of dog attacks every year will be given to police forces and local authorities from Monday 20 October. These will be called Community Protection Notices. They replaces and updates Dog Control Orders which were already being called Dog ASBOS.

Dog Control Orders

Local councils in England and Wales can issue Dog Control Orders (DCOs). These mean that in public areas with DCOs, you may have to: keep your dog on a lead put your dog on a lead if told to by a police officer, police community support officer or someone from the council stop your dog going in certain places – like farmland or parts of a park limit the number of dogs you have with you (this applies to professional dog walkers too)

• clear up after your dog

Penalties

If you ignore a DCO, you can be fined:

• £50 on the spot (a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’)
• up to £1,000 if it goes to court

You can’t be fined if you’re a registered blind dog owner.

DCOs in your area

Local councils must let the public know where DCOs are in place. If the council plans to put a new DCO in place, it must put up a notice and publish it in a local newspaper and on its website. The notice must tell you:

• where the new DCO will apply
• if there’s a map and where you can see it
• where you can write or email to have your say – you should have at least 28 days

After 28 days, your local council will decide whether to go ahead with the DCO or change it. If there are lots of changes, the council will publish another notice, with the same timescales The notice must tell you: where the new DCO will apply if there’s a map and where you can see it where you can write or email to have your say – you should have at least 28 days After 28 days, your local council will decide whether to go ahead with the DCO or change it. If there are lots of changes, the council will publish another notice, with the same timescales. For the first time, police and local authorities will be able to demand that owners take action to prevent a dog attack or risk of a fine. If a complaint has been made about a dog to the council or police, its owners could be ordered to do any or all of the following: •Attend dog training classes •Muzzle the dog or require it to be on a lead in public •Require the dog to be micro-chipped and/or neutered •Repair fencing to prevent the dog leaving the property

Dangerous Dogs Act Changes May 2014

Prison sentences for owners of violent dogs were extended earlier this year as part of changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.   Owners now face a maximum of 14 years for a fatal dog attack, five years for an injury and three years for an attack on an assistance dog.   In 2013, 6,740 people required hospital treatment for dog attacks – an increase of 6% from 2012.   In total, eight adults and 13 children have died from dog attacks since 2005