"The dog did nothing in the night-time."
Posted: Sat Oct 31, 2015 10:41 pm
OWNERS could be in the doghouse — and facing fines of up to £1,000 — if a new crackdown on dog poo in Torbay goes ahead.
They could be hit in the pocket for not carrying poo bags while walking their pooch — even if their dog has not fouled.
A new offence is being created which could see owners fined £100 for not carrying a means of disposing of doggy left overs, with the potential of a £1,000 court fine if left unpaid.
And it will apply even if your dog has left no deposits, with enforcement officers able to ask dog owners to prove they can clean up after their pets.
The measure has already been introduced by Daventry Council in Northamptonshire and will come into force on December 1.
If successful the measure could be adopted by other councils across the country, including Torbay.
Torbay Council is currently trialling private litter wardens and the dog poo bag law may be one it looks at, said Cllr Robert Excell, executive lead for community services.
He told a full council meeting Daventry expects the new measures to have taken a year to bring into force in its area and it had involved significant resources, including public consultation and new signage.
"This would be a new offence, even if the dog has not fouled," he said.
However, he said there are some issues to be tested, for example if an owner had bags at the beginning of their walk and picked up the mess responsibly, and disposed of the bags properly, would they still be committing an offence if they did not have any spare bags?
"Technically they have committed an offence though they have acted responsibly," said Cllr Excell (pictured). "However, if asked by an officer they would have no proof that they had bags with them initially.
"There are some legal challenges which may arise from this approach."
He said the range of options for the future would be considered at the end of the year-long trial.
After the meeting, Cllr Excell said: "We will be looking at all options and this could be something we look at.
"We want to deter litter and dog mess on our streets and it seems to be working.
"I have not seen nearly as much as there used to be. Dog walkers seem to have got the message.
"If you take your dog out you have to take your lead and collar, why shouldn't you have to have something to pick up the mess?
"You are less likely to leave it there if you have a bag with you."
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