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Dog owners in Cardiff have urged the council to crack down on irresponsible people who leave their pets' mess behind - and not punish everyone with a dog.

Cardiff council is considering a new public spaces protection order which could see dog owners being given spot fines of £100 if they walk their dog on sports pitches.

Under the PSPO, dogs would be banned from council-owned or maintained marked sports pitches, enclosed playgrounds and schools throughout Cardiff. Owners would be able to exercise their dog on the playing fields outside "the relevant playing season".

The council says while the majority of dog owners are responsible, it received 500 complaints about dog fouling between April 2016 and April 2017 and the new proposals would keep Cardiff's parks cleaner and safer.

But dog owners say banning dogs from marked pitches would mean they would not be able to walk their pets in large areas of some parks such as Roath Recreation Ground - which has pitches along its entire length.

Jeremy Sparkes, who lives near Roath Rec, says he and many other dog owners may no longer be able to use their nearby parks and would have to drive to open spaces further away - increasing traffic congestion and air pollution in Cardiff.

Mr Sparkes said: "There's an irresponsible minority, but any effective enforcement changes behaviour. Unless you are identifying the individuals and helping to re-educate or punish them you can have all the regulations you like.

"Dog owners are not the only ones leaving our parks in a mess. A lot of people see dog walkers pick up the litter they find.

"(The proposals) would take Roath Rec out of the equation completely.

"If you want to stop dogs fouling you have to identify the minority who are letting dogs do it, not punish the ones who are picking up."

Mr Sparkes, along with many dog walkers in the city, is also appealing to extend the current six week consultation to 12 weeks and make it more visible as he says many people are still unaware of what is being proposed.

He has written to councillors calling for the PSPO to cover the existing measures only, rather than adding marked sport pitches into the exclusions, and for the council to effectively enforce the current rules.

In a report in June, Cardiff council admitted that enforcement of the current bye-laws for dogs "has not taken place for a number of years".

Dog owner Penny Bowers, who lives near Hailey Park, has set up the Cardiff Dog Action Group to object to some of the proposals.

She said: "Cardiff has a lot of parks made up of marked sports pitches. People will find that they won't be able to walk their dogs depending on how much space the pitches take up.

"It creates a lot of anti-dog feeling by promoting these proposals.

"They are using a sledgehammer to crack a nut."

If fines under the new PSPO are not paid and taken through the courts, costs to offenders could rise to £1,000.

Currently, the fixed penalty notice for dog fouling in Cardiff is £80.

Dogs would also have to be kept on leads in all cemeteries owned or maintained by the council.

The Dogs Trust says it supports many elements of the proposed PSPO. But a spokeswoman said: "The ban of dogs from sports pitches is not only an unnecessary measure but one that is ultimately hard for officials to enforce due to the largely unclear boundaries.

"This is especially detrimental in areas where sports grounds account for a large part of the open space available. We would prefer the Council’s resources be spent on dog fouling measures, such as ensuring an adequate provision of bins and free disposal bags; all of which will help to create a clean environment for all."

The council's report in June said dog fouling "can lead to serious illness in humans, such as toxocariasis, from direct contact with the

faeces on the ground which can also lead to blindness".

NHS stats show there have been 25 cases of toxocariasis confirmed in England and Wales from 2006 and 2016.

A council spokeswoman said: “The proposals do not include the banning of dogs in parks and public spaces but if progressed, dogs would be excluded from all enclosed playgrounds, marked sports pitches and schools under the new measures. Outside of the relevant playing season, owners would be able to exercise their dog on the playing fields.

“Every year, we receive a significant number of complaints about dog fouling and out of control dogs in public places and while the majority of dog owners are responsible and do the right thing by cleaning up after their dog and keeping them under control, there is a minority who cause significant problems.

“The introduction of a Public Space Protection Order would allow the council to tackle this nuisance so that our public open spaces can be enjoyed safely by everyone.”

People can have their say on the plans until October 22 by visiting: https://www.snapsurveys.com/wh/s.asp?k=153199160687