Oxford City Council - Dog Control Order

Oxford City Council is making the following Dog Control Orders within the City of Oxford pursuant to its powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

1) FOULING OF LAND BY DOGS It will be an offence for any person in charge of a dog, which defecates on any land, to fail to remove the faeces forthwith, unless he/she can show a reasonable excuse for failing to do so or the owner/occupier of the land has consented to his/her failing to do so. This order will apply to all land within the City of Oxford which, is open to the air and to which the public have access, including roads, footpaths, pavements, grass verges, alleyways, allotments, parks and open spaces. The order will not apply to a person who is registered as a blind person, or to a person who has a disability which affects their mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by a prescribed charity and upon which he/she relies for assistance.

2) PUTTING AND KEEPING DOGS ON LEADS WHEN DIRECTED It will be an offence for any person in charge of a dog to fail to put and keep the dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer of the Council unless he/she can show a reasonable excuse for failing to do so or the owner/occupier of the land has consented to his failing to do so. This order will apply to all land within the City of Oxford which, is open to the air and to which the public have access, including roads, footpaths, pavements, grass verges, alleyways, allotments, parks and open spaces.

3) EXCLUSION OF DOGS It will be an offence for any person in charge of a dog to take the dog onto, or permit the dog to enter, or to remain on land in a dog exclusion zone unless he/she can show a reasonable excuse for doing so or the owner/occupier of the land has consented to his/her doing so. This order will apply to all children’s play areas within the City of Oxford which, are maintained by Oxford City Council. This order will not apply to a person who is registered as a blind person, or to a person who is deaf in respect of a dog trained by Hearing Dogs for the Deaf and upon which he/she relies for assistance, or to a person who has a disability which affects their mobility, manual dexterity, physical coordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by a prescribed charity and upon which they rely for assistance.

4) SPECIFIED MAXIMUM NUMBER OF DOGS It will be an offence for a person to be in charge of more than four dogs unless he/she can show a reasonable excuse for doing so or the owner/occupier of the land has consented to his/her doing so. This order will apply to all land in the City which is open to the air and to which the public have access, including roads, footpaths, pavements, grass verges, alleyways, allotments, parks and open spaces.

5) KEEPING DOGS ON A LEAD - SS MARY & JOHN CHURCHYARD, COWLEY ROAD, OXFORD

It will be an offence for any person in charge of a dog to fail to keep the dog on a lead at all times unless he/ she can show a reasonable excuse for failing to do so or the owner/occupier of the land has consented to his/her failing to do so.

This order will apply to SS Mary & John Churchyard, Cowley Road, Oxford. Fixed Penalty Notices Oxford City Council intends to issue fixed penalty notices to enforce the proposed dog control orders above as prescribed by section 59 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

The fine will be £80 and failure to pay may result in prosecution. These orders will come into effect on 1st November 2011

John Copley Head of Environmental Development Ramsay House, St. Ebbes Street, Oxford.

8th September 2011