New rules for dogs in open spaces come into force.

A dog related Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) across the Dorset Council area comes into force on 1 January and will remain in place for three years.

The order replaces the previous dog related PSPO. The reason for implementing a dog related PSPO on specific beaches and open spaces is to keep them free from dog fouling and safe to use by all.

Insisting that dogs are on leads in particular areas means that the owner has adequate control over the dog which means that they can see if the dog fouls and doesn’t cause issues with other people or dogs.

The order follows an extensive consultation that gathered views from residents, visitors, businesses, and other organisations. The survey ran for 10 weeks, and 4,221 responses were received. 80% of responses were from local residents, with 16.5% from visitors and 2.8% from other. 62% of responses came from dog owners. 9.5% of the respondents considered themselves having a disability.

View the report that was approved by Dorset Council Cabinet.