Owner fined for letting dog roam

 

A woman from Belle Isle has been collared after being caught letting her dog roam free.

Stray dog on street from 4freephotos.com
Stray dog on street from 4freephotos.com

Jacqueline Rose, Windmill Road, failed to pay the £75 fixed penalty notice she had accepted after wardens found her dog wandering the streets in February this year.

Having contravened the dog control order that requires all dogs to be on a lead when on paths, pavements or verges next to roads, Rose was fined £75, ordered to pay £100 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge at Leeds magistrates court last week.

While on a regular patrol, a dog warden witnessed the pet roving around Belle Isle Road. Having safely called the dog over and attaching a lead to its collar – minus an identification tag, another legal requirement – the warden was able check if the dog was microchipped.

Although found unattended on the street, the owner had gone to the effort of having their pet microchipped and the warden returned the dog to Rose’s home address. Dogs without a collar and identity tag or microchip will be treated as a stray and taken to a kennel. If unclaimed after seven days, responsibility for the dog passes to the kennel.

Rose accepted legal responsibility for the dog and fixed penalty notice as an alternative to prosecution, but failed to pay.

Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for the environment, said:

“The majority of people are happy to take the necessary steps to keep their dog safe and under control and the orders are in place to tackle the minority who don’t.

“Keeping a dog on a lead by the side of the road is for the safety of road users and the dog itself. We don’t want dogs to cause accidents, be a nuisance or intimidate people.

“Unattended dogs are also a cause of one of the biggest concerns to our residents – fouling. If your dog is out on its own, you aren’t going to be there to pick up after it.

“We’ll continue to pursue those dog owners who don’t take their responsibilities seriously to continue to hammer home the message.”

Failure to comply with dog control orders carries a maximum £1,000 fine.

If your dog does not have a collar and tag you can be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000.