A MEMBER of the Executive Board questioned who should clean up dog fouling after Hunt meets at a meeting on Monday (Mar 21).
The Public Spaces Protection Order was up for discussion by the Executive Board. Cllr Jim Jones, the Executive Member for Environmental and Public Protection introduced the legislation, which will enable Carmarthenshire County Council to issue fines of £100 if people fail to clean up after their dogs, prohibits dogs from entering enclosed children’s play areas, and requires dog owners to keep their pets on leads of up to 2m long if asked to do so.
Cllr Jones thanked Shadow member Penny Edwards for her work on the Order.
He added that he was ‘pleased’ that there was ‘overwhelming support for the proposals put forward’ following a public consultation, and that the Kennel Club had commended the council for its approach.
Cllr Jane Tremlett referred to the section of the order which discussed working dog exemptions, specifically dogs which are being lawfully used for the purpose of hunting.
“As an example in Laugharne, a week yesterday Carmarthenshire Hunt came – I would like to stress that I am in no way anti-hunt. I’m not pro-hunt, the hunt is there,” she said.
Cllr Tremlett said that on the same day 50 Peace Runners had visited Laugharne, and had attended a reception at the Town Hall before visiting the Boathouse.
“Coming home afterwards, we went along Cliff Walk and along Victoria Street and down through Laugharne where the Hunt had been – and this caused a problem – the mess is still there,” she added.
“Over 130 people had to walk back through that, and it’s not a good advert for either the Township or the Hunt.”
Cllr Tremlett asked Cllr Jones if there was an opportunity to make sure, either by voluntary agreement Hunt volunteers would clear up dog mess left in public places, or come to an arrangement where the Hunt paid the council to do it.
“In a sense you could argue, are these dogs actually working dogs now?” she added.
Cllr Jones said that he was willing to investigate this, and to communicate with the hunt.
Environment Director Ruth Mullen explained that the main issue was that other working dogs would also be present in public spaces, but said that there shouldn’t be any problem with speaking to the Hunt about a voluntary arrangement especially when other events were scheduled to take place at the same time.
She pointed out that under the terms of the order, the burden of proof falls to the owner to prove that the working dog exemption terms are being met; in this case that this was the route that had to be taken by the Hunt at this point, and that the dogs were working. Failure to do this could leave the owners liable for clearup costs.
Council Leader Emlyn Dole queried the difference between work and leisure, pointing out that the dogs weren’t actually hunting anything in Laugharne.
That aside, the order met with widespread approval from the Executive Board. Cllr Hazel Evans reiterated that the majority of dog owners in the county were responsible, and suggested that the authority publicise the changes as much as possible before their implementation in July.
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