The Council is stepping up efforts to tackle irresponsible dog ownership with the introduction of three new Dog Control Orders and a campaign against dog fouling.

Last summer the Council carried out a consultation as a result of concern from residents and park users about dogs off their leads, aggressive dogs and dogs in children s play areas.

The majority of respondents were in favour of adopting three additional Dog Control Orders (DCOs) to tackle a variety of issues that will improve people s enjoyment of their local environment. These Orders were recently ratified by the Council and will come info force from April 1. They are:

*A dog exclusion order, enabling the Council to stop dogs from entering certain areas including children s playgrounds, sports courts, multi-use games areas, and marked pitches where games are in-play;

*A dogs on leads order, which would stop owners from exercising dogs off-lead on roads, towpaths and in car parks, churchyards, communal areas on estates and small public parks and gardens under half a hectare in size;

*A dogs on leads where requested order, which would give officers the power to request that dogs are put on leads where they are not under the appropriate control of their owner, or where they are causing damage or acting aggressively.

In addition, this summer the Council officers will spend more time on the streets enforcing the already existing DCO which allows authorised staff to issue fines to anyone who does not immediately pick up after a dog in their control has fouled in a public area.

Anyone found flouting any of the offences can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by the Council s Environmental Enforcement Team, Hackney Homes staff and other authorised partners.

Councillor Sophie Linden, Cabinet Member for Crime, Sustainability and Customer Services, says: "We know that most dog owners in Hackney are responsible and control their dogs in public. We also understand the pleasure that owning a dog can bring. But a small minority of dog owners in the borough are behaving irresponsibly by not keeping their dogs under control. The majority of people responding to our consultation support the introduction of these Dog Control Orders. These new powers will send a strong message that dogs must not be allowed to behave in a way that causes problems for the community."

For more information about the implementation of the Dog Control Orders, telephone: 020 8356 4839 or visit: www.hackney.gov.uk/animal-welfare-dog-control-orders.htm