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There are some 8.5 million dogs in the UK and the number of canines is growing. However, with the enjoyment of owning a dog comes a number of legal responsibilities.

And, if you do not abide by the rules concerning canines while walking your pooch in one of Derby's parks, you risk serious fines or even jail.

Here we list a dog owner's chief obligations and the potential punishments so bear these in mind before heading out to Darley Park, Allestree Park, Alvaston Park or Markeaton Park.

Microchip your dog or face a £500 fine

Dogs over eight weeks old have to be microchipped by law. Around 100,000 dogs are picked up off the streets after getting lost, stolen or being abandoned. Microchipping can help reunite dogs with their owners. It also makes it easier to track down the owners of dogs who have attacked people.

Owners of dogs without microchips found by the police or local authorities will be given a warning and a deadline by which they must comply with the law. If they do not get their dog microchipped within the alloted time, they face a £500 fine.

A barking dog could cost up to £5,000

A dog barking incessantly can make people's lives a misery. Any problems caused by noisy dogs are dealt with by local authorities. Derby City Council says that most noise issues are resolved informally by contacting the responsible party.

However, if the council believes that a nuisance is being caused by a dog, it can issue a Noise Abatement Order under the Environment Protection Act 1990. A breach of this notice can lead to a prosecution with fines up to £5,000 for private individuals.

Complaints about noise pollution can be submitted to Derby City Council here.

Bag it and bin it or it might cost you

Pet pooches produce a million kilos of waste every day and not all of it gets picked up. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, dog owners are responsible for cleaning up after their pets. If caught in Derby, you will be issued a fixed penalty notice of £50. If you are convicted in court, your fine could be up to £1,000.

You are still responsible for cleaning up the mess if you are walking someone else's dog and fines are not limited to fouling public places. In March this year, a woman from Stoke was fined £860 for having too much dog excrement in her back garden.

One local authority which failed to fine a single person for not picking up after their dog has gone one step further. In October, new public space protection orders come into force in Canterbury. They allow the city council to fine dog walkers who are not carrying at least two poo bags. The fixed-penalty notice will be £80. If the scheme proves successful, it could be introduced elsewhere in the country.

Irresponsible dog owners give the majority a bad name and so should report those who neglect to clean up after their pets. With this in mind, if you witness dog fouling, you need to note down:

The day, location and time of the incident

A description of the owner

A description of the dog

Details of the vehicle they arrived in, if possible

How far away from the incident you were when it happened

What kind of view you had

Derby City Council has a form for reporting dog fouling and a separate form for reporting dog fouling in parks. These forms also cover littering.

A dog in the passenger seat could land you a £5,000 fine

It is against the Highway Code to travel with animals in the passenger seat without a harness. This could potentially lead to a conviction for driving without due care and attention which carried a maximum £5,000 fine and points on your licence. In the event of an accident, having an unharnessed dog in the passenger seat might invalidate your car insurance.

(Image: Getty Images)

Keep your dog under control or you might end up in jail

Punishments are severe for dog owners whose animal gets dangerously out of control. Fines are unlimited and you could end up with a six-month prison sentence. A dog is considered dangerously out of control if it injures someone or makes them fear for their safety.

A court may decide that a dog is dangerously out of control if it attacks someone's animal or if the owner of an animal believes that they would be injured if they tried to intervene to prevent the attack. The owner of a dog that attacks a guide dog can be sent to prison for up to three years and get an unlimited fine.

In October last year, a boy was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier in Melbourne. The bite was so severe on the calf of the boy that it was “almost down to the bone” and he was hospitalised for two days in Derby where he had to undergo surgery. Gillian Ashworth, who was looking after the animal, pleaded guilty to causing injury by failing to control a dangerous dog. She was sentenced last month to 16 months in prison, suspended for two years. The dog was destroyed.

There is a maximum sentence of five years for letting your dog injure someone. Allowing your dog to kill someone carries a maximum sentence of 14 years and could attract an unlimited fine.

A farmer is within his rights to kill your dog if it is worrying livestock.