TOUGH new laws come in to force on Saturday, May 24 within St Helens to control the nuisance and potential public health hazard posed by irresponsible dog owners.

The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996, will enable council dog wardens to take legal action against owners who allow their dog to foul open land designated under the Act, plus footpaths and public walkways.

Steve Massey, the council's Chief Environmental Health Officer, said: "Before the Act was introduced, the dog wardens could only take action against those people who allowed their dogs to foul public footpaths and adjacent grass verges, under three metres wide. The new legislation will allow formal action to be taken against any person who does not clean up after their dog, on public footpaths or any land designated under the Act. Such land will include cemeteries, school playing fields and other land maintained by the council for recreational purposes.

"In addition, the dog wardens will be issuing fixed penalty notices to offenders who will be required to pay a £25 fixed penalty, or otherwise be summoned to appear in court, where the financial penalty may be higher."

Mr Massey added that the council was not anti-dog, and appreciated the pleasure such animals give to owners, but the nuisance and potential health hazard caused by a minority of irresponsible dog owners had to be minimised.

He also stressed the importance of good personal hygiene, particularly the washing of hands after people have been on open land, to prevent any possible disease being transmitted, which is especially important in the case of young children.

Councillor Richard Ward, chairman of the council's Housing & Environmental Services Committee, said: "The council has introduced many initiatives to help minimise this nuisance and the new legislation will now allow further sanctions to be taken in areas not previously covered.

"The dog wardens will be targeting a number of known problem areas both during normal business hours as well as early in the morning and in the evening. Dog owners are requested to act in a more responsible manner, not only to comply with the new legislation but also to protect people whose health may be put at risk which is particularly true in the case of young children."

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