At the parish council meeting held on 15th September 2020, Stratton Parish Council reviewed the permission currently in place regarding dog owners using the playing field to exercise their pets.

The previous dog control orders in place in West Dorset applied to all designated children’s play areas and all sports pitches within West Dorset.  It banned dogs (other than assistance dogs) from any sports pitches and children’s play areas but it has now been superseded by a ‘Dog Related Public Spaces Protection Order 2017’, which basically requires the same conditions and adherence as the previous legislation.

The playing field is owned by the parish and administered by the Parish Council and, as it’s administrator, is able, as it currently does, to allow dog owners, with their dogs, to use the playing field on the implicit understanding that dogs are in their owners control and any fouling is removed. Bags and a waste container are even supplied for this purpose, at the Council’s expense.

Concerns have again been raised in respect of:-

  • Dog owners letting their animals run all over the field without exercising proper control over them.
  • Dog owners not clearing up their dogs’ waste.

As a result, this is causing distaste and apprehension, particularly over the safety and health of children using the playing field, especially now there is an adventure play area on the site.

However, the parish council has decided not to ban dogs from the playing field at this time,

Nevertheless, dog owners MUST always keep their dogs under control when on the playing field, as indeed they are required to do in all public places. 

It is completely unacceptable, for instance, for a dog owner to let their animal run all over the playing field while they await its return at the field’s gate entrance.

Stratton Parish Council appreciates that most dog owners are entirely responsible and it would be very sad indeed if a minority puts at risk the permission for dogs being allowed on the playing field at all.

At the parish council meeting this matter was discussed with particular regard to the playing field but it applies equally to the village green.

It should be noted that the playing field is a designated flood alleviation area and as such it is not permissible to erect any fence or barrier on the ground

The parish council will be keeping this issue under review.

16th September 2020 – Dogs on the Playing Field
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