Pet insurer warns dog owners to be vigilant as dog control orders increase
- Direct Line urges pet owners to be more aware of pet restrictions as local authorities served 2,448 notices to dog owners in 2015 for breached Dog Control Orders (DCOs)
- Local authorities generated £160,485 in fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for breached DCOs in 2015
- The South West had the highest number of active DCOs in 2015 of any region
The number of protection orders in place across England and Wales, specifically related to dogs, increased by nine per cent in the two years from 2013-2015, according to new research from Direct Line Pet Insurance1. In 2015 there were at least 892 Dog Control Orders instituted by local authorities2 and there have already been 866 orders given out as of 1st June 2016.
The number of Fixed Penalty Notices served to dog owners for a breach of dog control orders in 2015 was 2,448, a twenty-four per cent reduction on the number served to owners in 2013 (3,235). Local Authorities handed out an average of eight (FPNs) for breach of DCOs in 2015, compared to the average 11 handed out in 2013.
In total, local authorities generated in excess of £160,485 in FPNs for breached DCOs in 2015, an increase of three per cent on the £155,256 generated in 2014. The three local authorities which generated the highest revenue from FPNs in 2015 were Liverpool City Council (£6,320), Torbay Council (£6,300) and Scarborough Borough Council (£6,000).
The highest number of FPNs was served by Conwy County Borough Council which handed out an astonishing 512 penalties, an increase of 124 compared to 2014. Burnley Borough Council (145) and Torbay Council (84) also handed out high numbers of FPNs in 2015.
Local Authorities in England and Wales which served the highest number of DCOs to dog owners in 2015
| Rank | Local authority | Number of FPNs served to dog owners in 2015 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Conwy Council | 512 |
| 2 | Burnley Borough Council | 145 |
| 3 | Torbay Council | 84 |
| 4= | Scarborough Borough Council | 80 |
| 4= | Coventry City Council | 80 |
| 5 | Liverpool City Council | 79 |
Source: Direct Line Pet Insurance, 2016
The Dog Control Order Regulations3 provide for five offences which may be prescribed in a dog control order and give councils the power to make orders regarding dogs in their area:
- (a) Failing to remove dog faeces
- (b) Not keeping a dog on a lead
- (c) Not putting, and keeping, a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer
- (d) Permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded
- (e) Taking more than a specified number of dogs onto land
Prit Powar, head of Pet Insurance at Direct Line said: "To avoid the risk of a fine, owners should ensure they abide by the control orders put in place by their local authority, or anywhere they are visiting with their pets. If unsure, check your local council website, pop into the office or give them a call and ask for a list of the control orders in place that relate to your local area."
Cornwall Council has consistently had the highest number of DCOs in place amongst English and Welsh local authorities, with 120 across the county from 2013-2016. Allerdale Borough Council has the second highest number of DCOs, at 84 between 2015 and 2016, an increase of 66 per cent from 2013 and 2014.
Local authorities in England and Wales with the highest number of active Dog Control Orders
| Rank | Local authority | Number of active DCOs in 2016 to date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cornwall Council | 120 |
| 2 | Allerdale Borough Council | 84 |
| 3 | North Somerset Council | 65 |
| 4 | Wyre Forest District Council | 30 |
| 5 | London Borough of Hounslow | 8 |
Source: Direct Line Pet Insurance, 2016
Prit Powar continued: "It is worth checking if there are restrictions on where you can take your dog within your area as they change depending on local authority and time of year. Cornwall, for example, has a number of controls in place across its beaches and public areas in summer months which are then relaxed in winter months.
"The orders themselves can vary significantly too; some say no dogs, others say dogs on a lead while others will specify the number of dogs which can be walked by one person at one time, so are especially relevant for dog walkers."
The current dog protection orders are included within sections 55- 58 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 20054 which state that a Dog Control Order can be made in respect of any land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access. These orders which limit the access of dogs in public areas will soon fall under the Anti-Social Crime and Behaviour Act 20145 and will be rebranded in Autumn 2017.
When looking at the regional picture, the South West had the highest number (250) of active DCOs in 2015, followed by the North West (179) and South East (102).
Highest number of active DCOs in 2015 broken down by region
| Local authority | Number of DCOs served to dog owners in 2015 |
|---|---|
| South West | 250 |
| North West | 179 |
| South East | 102 |
| West Midlands | 98 |
| London | 86 |
| East Midlands | 71 |
| East of England | 43 |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | 28 |
| Wales | 18 |
| North East | 17 |
Source: Direct Line Pet Insurance, 2016
Notes to editors
1 Direct Line Pet Insurance’s analysis of data supplied in response to a Freedom of Information Act request issued to the UK councils on 1st June 2016
2 Data based on responses from 313 out of 433 councils
4https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2005/16/part/6/chapter/1/crossheading/dog-control-orders
For further information, please contact:
Claire Foster
Direct Line
claire.foster@directlinegroup.co.uk
Tel:
0165 1831672
Charlotte Pascal
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel:
0207 282 1021
Email: Charlotte.Pascal@citigatedr.co.uk
Direct Line
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