Dog Control Service

Currently some parks and open spaces are regulated by GLC dog bye-laws, some by Wandsworth bye-laws and some by no bye-laws at all. By introducing Dog Control Orders on Monday 26 July 2010, the council are seeking to ensure that all open spaces and the borough's highways and pavements are regulated properly using a single piece of legislation and for many of these, there are no changes to what is currently in place. Note that bye-laws relating to council housing estates remain unchanged.

Areas where dogs are banned will generally cover the same areas as at present i.e. playgrounds, tennis courts, bowling greens, ponds and lakes etc. and in terms of dogs on lead areas within parks and open spaces, these will generally cover car parks, areas outside park cafes where people are eating and very small parks which are not typically used to properly exercise dogs because of the size of the space.

With regards to dogs on the public highway and associated pavements,  the following will be introduced:

1. Owners will be required to pick up after their dogs whenever or wherever they foul.
2. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times.
3. A maximum of four dogs may be walked by any individual.

Finally, the orders that are proposed requiring dogs to be put on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer, are intended to ensure that if a dog is found to be out of control, Parks Police and Dog Control Officers can insist that it is brought under control by the owner. Enforcement in this area will be both pragmatic and appropriate.

The following aspects of dog control are covered by the orders:

• Fouling of land by dogs - an offence is committed when the person in charge of a dog fails to remove faeces deposited by the dog. This will apply borough-wide.
• Areas where dogs are required to be on leads - an offence is committed when the person in charge of a dog fails to keep the dog on a lead. This will apply on all public highways including pavements, tree bases, grass verges, grass amenity areas adjacent to highways and road gutters, and will also apply to car parks and café outdoor eating areas within parks and open spaces.
• The requirement for a dog to be put on a lead at the direction of an authorised officer - an offence is committed when the person in charge of a dog fails to put and keep the dog on a lead when instructed to do so by a Parks Police or Dog Control Officer. Enforcement in this area will be both pragmatic and appropriate.
• The exclusion of dogs from specified areas - an offence is committed when the person in charge of a dog takes it onto or permits it to enter or remain in an area where dogs are excluded. This will apply to children's playgrounds, sports facilities, lakes, ponds, water features and to some very small parks.
• The maximum number of dogs that an individual may take onto specified areas - an offence is committed when the person in charge of more than one dog takes more dogs into an area than is permitted by the maximum limit. The maximum limit of four dogs will apply borough-wide with the exception of licensed multiple dog walkers in certain parks and open spaces.

View the directory of parks and open spaces to which these orders apply. To see a map of which orders apply to each, please click on the name of the park or open space.