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Controlling your dog in public
It is your responsibility to make sure your dog behaves in public. You should also make yourself aware of any local Dog Control Orders. If you need help with training, you can contact a local dog trainer through your phone book or online.
Out of control dogs
It is an offence to allow a dog of any type or breed to be dangerously out of control:
- in a public place - like a street, park, bus shelter or the common parts of a block of flats (like the entrance or stairs)
- in a private place where the dog isn't allowed to be
Public areas also include fields, footpaths and beaches.
What is 'out of control'?
Your dog is dangerously out of control if it:
- injures a person, or
- behaves in a way that makes a person worried that it might injure them - even if it's the dog owner's own home or garden.
If you use your dog to injure someone you could be charged with 'malicious wounding'. The maximum penalty for this is five years in prison.
Other people's animals
A court could judge that your dog is dangerously out of control if:
- it injures another person's animal
- the owner of the animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal
Fines
Anyone can report a dog and their owner to the police.
If you are found guilty of having a dog that's out of control you may face a fine of up to £1000 and/or imprisonment. You may also not be allowed to own a dog in the future.
The law about out of control dogs is covered in section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.
Dog Control Orders
Local authorities in England and Wales have the power to issue Dog Control Orders. This means that in certain public areas, one (or more) of the rules below could apply:
- keeping your dog on a lead
- putting your dog on a lead when told to by the police, a police community support officer or someone authorised by the council
- not letting your dog go onto land that they should not - such as farmland
- limiting the number of dogs you have with you at one time - 'professional' dog walkers are included
- clearing up after your dog
Private land
Dog Control orders do not apply to private land where you have permission from the owner of the land or the person who controls the land.
Fixed penalty notices and fines
An authorised officer or a police officer (or police community support officers) can issue a £50 on-the-spot fine ('fixed penalty notice').
If you go to court and are found guilty you can be fined up to a £1000.
Registered blind dog owners are exempt from penalties.
Finding out about Dog Control orders where you live
Councils must let the public know which areas are affected by Dog Control Orders.
New orders
If your council plans to put an order in place locally, they must first publish a 'notice' - normally in a local newspaper and the council's website. The order must include:
- details of the area the order applies to
- if a map is referred to, say where you can see it (such as your council's offices)
- an address or email you can write to so that you can have your say - you should be given at least 28 days from the date of the notice
After the 28-day period, your local authority will decide whether or not to go ahead with the order or amend it. If there are a lot of changes to the original order, the process to publish the notice starts again with the same timescales.
Knowing what land an order applies to
Your council should also put up signs letting you know about planned orders. For example, if an order was made excluding dogs from a park, copies of the order should be placed at the entrances to the park when it was first made.
Permanent signs should be put up letting you know that dogs are not allowed in the park.
Countryside Code
You should never let your dog walk in the same field as farm animals such as sheep or cows. A farmer is allowed to kill your dog if it is worrying their livestock.
