Dog walkers in Fareham will be asked to pick up their dog’s poo or face council action under a new rule

The public spaces protection order (PSPO) focusing on dog control has been renewed for a further three years, but councillors backed the new rule after saying the issue remains a persistent problem.

This will allow council officers to ask dog walkers to clean up after their dog across the borough if they have suitable means to pick up, such as a poo bag, or face a fine.

Speaking at Fareham Borough Council’s executive meeting on March 23, Conservative councillor Joanne Burton said a public consultation on the matter received 333 responses in one month.

A total of 71 per cent of respondents said dog fouling was a problem in their area.

Cllr Burton said: “Although there was a list of hotspot locations provided by residents and dog walkers, I think the overall consensus appears to be that the issue of dog fouling is spread evenly across the borough.”

Some of the suggestions made by residents include the council installing more bins and having existing bins emptied more frequently. People also want free poo bag dispensers and “more enforcement officers” on patrol.

Cllr Burton added: “It’s important to remember that whilst our enforcement officers do have certain powers, they do not have powers to make people give their name and address, so they are quite limited with what they can do.”

Cllr Ian Bastable, Conservative for Park Gate, said he is “fully behind” the changes.

He added: “I don’t see any reason why any dog owner shouldn’t be picking up and shouldn’t have the means to pick up.”

The existing measures enforced by the PSPO will remain in place. These include ensuring one person walks a maximum of four dogs at a time and keeping dogs on a lead in designated areas.

Concerns about the maximum number of dogs people can walk was raised by Cllr Bastable.

He said: “I have a little bit of a problem with the maximum of four dogs, not because I think a single person should be able to walk four dogs, but because I am concerned this might prohibit families with more than four dogs from being able to walk as a group.

“I think dog owners try to cooperate, and therefore it’s about communication and trying to make everything clear.

“I think this flies in the face of trying to encourage our dog owners to exercise their dogs freely within the borough rather than going somewhere else they can do so freely, which is the New Forest.”

Cllr Burton said the measure is in place for public safety.

“I think it is an excellent idea to limit it to four, and there are no comments where people are suggesting it is going to restrict them as a family”, she said.

The PSPO was recommended for a three-year renewal.