Dog controls extended amid worries about fouling

Bedford Borough Council has decided dogs must be kept on leads in more places

A council has applied restrictions on dogs to more locations because of worries about fouling and "nuisance behaviour".

Bedford Borough Council has approved an expanded Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which sets out controls ranging from complete bans to where dogs have to be kept on leads.

New locations covered by the PSPO include a swan nesting area at The Embankment, where leads must now be used.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the authority said the measures addressed persistent anti-social behaviour, including dog fouling, which a report said had a "detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality".

'Health risks'

The PSPO came into force on 27 July. It extended dog bans to 30 additional play areas, sport pitches, and green spaces.

Locations included Biddenham, Shortstown, Roxton, and Felmersham.

As well as The Embankment area, dogs must now be on leads on the playing field in the village of Cotton End and the recreation ground in Turvey.

The council report explaining the changes recognised the vast majority of dog owners were responsible.

But it added: "Residents are concerned about dog fouling in particular and are worried about the amount of dog fouling, not just because of the mess it causes, but because it can also be linked to health risks, especially with children who play in the parks and open spaces."

Since 2019, the council said it had received 968 complaints related to dog fouling, but only about 90 fixed penalty notices had been issued.

The additional restrictions followed requests from parish councils and also responses to a public consultation held in April.

About 79 per cent of respondents backed the renewal of the PSPO and 77 per cent supported adding new sites.

Exemptions for assistance dogs and their handlers remain.