Consultation opens on new dog control measures

A public consultation has opened reviewing the rules for dogs in public spaces in part of West Sussex.

Chichester District Council said that residents were welcome to have their views on the subject as part of the consultation, which opened on Friday.

Under the current and proposed Public Space Protection Order, it is an offence in public places to fail to remove dog mess immediately, to not put and keep a dog on a lead when instructed by an authorised officer and to allow a dog to enter an area where dogs are excluded, such as some parks.

The council said that it was proposing to continue all these rules for a further three years, until October 2029, with a small number of additions.

Although not included in the proposals for the 2026 to 2029 PSPO, the council is also exploring whether dog control measures may be needed in certain locations within the Chichester Harbour Area in the future.

These could include requiring dogs to be kept on leads or introducing dog exclusion zones.

The council said that it was looking at evidence that dogs running off lead could disturb protected bird species, which could contribute to their decline.

Tom Day, divisional manager for environment and health protection, said: "We want to make sure that everyone – with or without dogs – can safely enjoy the many beautiful public spaces we have in our district.

"This consultation is a chance for people to share their thoughts on our proposals, and we are keen to hear a wide range of views."

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