Responsible Dog Ownership

Dog Control Orders

Thank you to everyone who responded to our recent consultation on tackling irresponsible dog owners. We had over 1700 replies from non-dog owners and dog owners alike. There was overwhelming support for the introduction of new dog control orders with many additional suggestions about where they should apply. These Orders are now being introduced.

What You Said

• over 99% of you agreed that dog owners should clean up after their dogs in any public place.
• over 97% of you agreed that authorised staff should be able to instruct dog owners to put their dogs on a lead in any public place.
• 95% of you agreed that children’s play areas and other games and sports areas should be dog free. In addition you told us that you wanted existing dog-free areas especially ornamental squares - to stay dog free.

What’s Happening from 14 July 2008

From this date two of the three Dog Control Orders we asked you to consider will apply throughout the borough:

• failing to remove dog fouling in any public space
• not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer in any public space areas.

Permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded will apply to specific areas. These areas are those proposed in the consultation and some new sites were added as result of the consultation. In particular, many comments were received about areas where the current practice is that they are dog-free and should remain dog-free.

We have listened to these responses and we will apply a dog exclusion order to the following sites on this basis:

Arlington Square, Batishill Street Gardens, Canonbury Square, Compton Terrace, Gibson Square, Lonsdale Square, Milner Square, Northampton Square, Penn Road Gardens, Percival Street (Homes for Islington area), Percy Circus, St. Silas Gardens, Thornhill Crescent Garden and Wilmington Square.

To view a map of the Dog Control Order areas, use the Interactive Maps link on the right, then choose Recreation and Leisure from the list on the right of that page.

In addition, there were a small amount of sites where current practice is that dogs are walked on leads. On these sites we will be asking authorised officers to ask all dog walkers to put their dogs on leads and issue fines if this is not complied with.

To help make our streets, parks and estates cleaner and safer, our officers will be able to stop dog owners they see breaking these rules, ask them to comply and issue them with an £80 if they don’t.

Of course we would much prefer that dog owners do the right thing without being asked so we will be rolling out an education campaign as well. We will also be posting up signs around the borough to remind dog owners of the new rules.

Dog Control orders do not apply to Guide Dogs / Hearing Dogs.

For More Information

All dog exclusion areas will be signed and you can check which areas are dog free by checking the attachment below for information.

Please use the links below to view more information about the consultation results, the dog control orders and also for advice on looking after your dog.

Also you can help us to identify irresponsible dog owners by reporting problems in your area to Contact Islington on 0207 527 2000.