Dog Control Orders continue to confuse Tameside residents

Confused about the Dog Control Orders? You bet!

The recent Dog Control Orders continue to confuse the dog owners of Tameside with signs being placed on sites that contradict each other as well as the notices on TMBC’s own website.

Since it was first publicised in local press that Dog Control Orders had been passed there has been no clear communication from TMBC about exactly which orders applied to which sites. Despite the continued questions being raised by the public and dog organisations including the Dogs Trust, TMBC has remained silent leaving it up to the public to work things out by themselves. Even TMBC’s own facebook page and twitter account are void of any helpful information and offer no helpful responses (if any) to direct questions.

You would expect the councils own ‘excellent website’ would offer some degree of clarification. Unfortunately not; it only adds to the confusion.

A website visitor may try the A-Z page for ‘D’ for information. Today, that page has no link to the Dog Control Orders or area lists but it does list Dog Breeding, Dog Fouling and Dog Warden pages. None of those include a link either and the dog fouling page discusses the PREVIOUS orders:

Tameside MBC has designated land under The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. The designated land includes roads, footpaths, school playing fields and parks. It is an offence for a dog owner not to clean up after their dogs in these areas. Failure to comply can result in a prosecution and fine up to £1000

It links to a page discussing fixed penalty notices and the previous legislation from July 2003, prior to the latest Dog Control Orders.

• Current A-Z council page for ‘D’ and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current Dog Breeders page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current Dog Warden page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current dog fouling page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current fixed penalty dog fouling legislation page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10

If you aren’t already confused, read on.

When I first started looking for clarification I gradually found these pages describing Dogs on Leads Orders, Dogs on Leads by Direction Orders, and Dog Exclusion Orders:

• Current dogs on leads orders page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current dogs on leads by direction page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Current dog exclusion order page and the screenshot taken 25/09/10

The above pages list areas affected by each of the orders and it was all we (the public) had to go on.

Then the signs began to appear. Signs were put up, then taken down. Signs were replaced and signs were duplicated side by side. (see the facebook group photos). Signs are in place that contradict the orders on the website.

In the last few days I found another set of webpages. They include a page summarising the orders and a list of links to the orders by area. These pages were last updated in July 2010 and while appear to be making the orders more clear, they only add to the confusion because a number of them contradict the information in the previous web pages mentioned earlier.

• Dog Control Orders (TMBC webpage) and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Ashton-under-Lyne Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Audenshaw Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Denton Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Droylsden Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Dukinfield Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Hattersley Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Hyde Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Longdendale Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Mossley Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10
• Stalybridge Sites and the screenshot taken 25/09/10

Just what is a Tameside dog owner to do? As if we aren’t upset enough about the dogs on leads orders, the least TMBC can do is display the correct information and help the public understad exactly which orders apply to which sites.

I wonder if an appeal against a fixed penalty notice would be granted on the grounds that there is contradictory information?

As soon as I am in possession or aware of any official confirmation by TMBC as to which pages contain the accurate information I will update here.