Dog walkers could face fines of up to £1,000 if they can’t prove they have a plastic bag to pick up their dog’s mess.
Under new town hall plans, police or council officers will issue the fines if owners don’t have a bag or pooper scooper with them to clean up their dog’s mess while out on a walk.
Manchester council is looking at bringing in the rule in all parks across the city.
Town Hall bosses are also suggesting a ban on anyone walking more than four dogs together.
Under new town hall plans, police or council officers will issue the fines if owners don’t have a bag or pooper scooper with them to clean up their dog’s mess while out on a walk
A consultation underway by the council suggests new ‘public space protection orders’ on certain areas of land, tightening up rules for dog owners.
According to one draft order drawn up by Manchester council, anyone walking a dog in those areas – which it is understood would include all parks – would be expected to have ‘means to pick up’ mess left by their animal, unless they have a ‘reasonable excuse’.
Council or police officers would ask people directly if they had a bag or a scoop on them to clear it up and if not, they would be slapped with an on-the-spot £100 penalty.
Failure to pay that could land them in court and facing a £1,000 fine.
Blind and deaf people would be exempt from the rules.
The council is also considering a ban on people walking more than four dogs at one time on any public land.
Council or police officers will be able to ask people directly if they had a bag or a scoop on them to clear it up and if not, they would be slapped with an on-the-spot £100 penalty
It is unclear whether more council officers would be hired or drafted in to enforce the rules.
Executive member for neighbourhoods, Councillor Nigel Murphy, said: “We want to make it clear dog owners who lack the common decency to clean up after their pets will not be tolerated in Manchester.
‘We think this proposed new approach will boost our efforts to deter problem dog owners, but we’re keen to ask Manchester residents whether they support the idea.”
The council is also proposing similar rules forcing dogs to be kept on leads, although these would only apply to certain areas of parks – as is already the case.
Its proposals have arisen from a change in legislation that has seen dog control orders scrapped by the government, to be replaced with public space protection orders.
As a result the council is asking what sort of rules the orders should impose on dog owners in those areas and is running a consultation until September 11.
Anyone wanting to take part should visit manchester.gov.uk/consultations.