What are we proposing about Dog Control Orders?
Consultation closed: Friday, 17 November 2023
Consultation opened: Thursday, 24 August 2023
Dog Control Orders
We currently use Dog Control Orders to:
- reduce dog fouling
- restrict dogs from places such as children’s playground
- ensure dogs are kept on leads in specific areas such as cemeteries and gardens of remembrance, as well as picnic sites, marked sports pitches, car parks, or wildlife areas at specific locations
More information about the current Dog Control Orders is provided below but full details of the current Dog Control Orders are available on our website.
Dogs on leads
We are proposing that this order remains the same.
The order prohibits persons from entering or remaining on land to which this order applies when in control of a dog unless that dog is kept on a lead of not more than 2 metres in length, unless there is a reasonable excuse for doing so. This includes any land which is open to air, to which the public have access and is: a cemetery, burial ground, garden of remembrance, a marked sports pitch, a designated carriageway, or a footpath adjoining a designated carriageway.
In addition to the above, there are also specific areas where this order applies, these are:
- Sundon Hills (wildlife area)
- Whipsnade Tree Cathedral (wildlife area)
- Totternhoe Knolls picnic site
- Sharpenhoe Clappers (wildlife area)
- Dunstable Downs (car park areas)
- Rushmere Country Park (wildlife areas) including:
- Nightjar Valley
- Heron Valley
- Ridge Riders Downhill Zone
- Bakers Wood conservation area
- Houghton Hall Park (car park area)
Dog fouling
We are proposing that this order remains the same.
If a dog defecates, the person in charge of the dog must immediately remove the faeces. Support/guide dogs are excluded. This applies to any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access.
Dog exclusion zones
We are proposing that this order remains the same.
The order prevents dogs from entering specified areas, such as children’s play areas, sports and games areas, and specific areas of Rushmere Country Park including, sports and games areas, and four specific parts of Rushmere Country Park (Nightjar Valley, Heron Valley, Ridge Riders Downhill Zone and Bakers Wood conservation area) unless they are service or support/guide dogs. Clear signs will be in these locations.
Dogs on lead by direction
We are proposing that this order remains the same.
A person in charge of a dog (on land covered by the order) must put and keep that dog on a lead when asked to do so by an authorised council officer (if needed), to prevent nuisance behaviour by the dog that could annoy or disturb a person, bird or other animal. This includes any open land to which the public have access, which includes but is not limited to - parks, public open spaces, town centres, roads, pavements, public footpaths, byways, bridleways, woodlands, agricultural land, access land and common land.