Tougher dog fouling penalties

FINES for dog fouling in Bath and North East Somerset – which includes the Keynsham area – are expected to go up from £50 to £75.

And more council officers are likely to be given the authority to issue fixed-penalty notices when they see dog owners allowing their pets to foul in a public place.

As part of the updated Dog Control Orders, there would also be more areas where dogs would not be allowed and areas where leads must be used. These sites are listed on the council's website, www.bathnes.gov.uk/dogs. Last year, dog fouling increased 127 per cent from 211 incidents in 2010 to 480. Copies of the proposed Dog Control Orders and plans are available for inspection throughout the consultation period until February 20 at the council's Bath Street office in Bath; The Guildhall, Bath; The Hollies, Midsomer Norton; and Riverside, Keynsham.