Owner's name on collar rule in city dog plans

Restrictions over dogs in public spaces in Wolverhampton could be extended and a new rule, which the council hopes reduces the cost of housing stray dogs, added.

The cabinet will meet to renew a city-wide public space protection order (PSPO), with existing rules including keeping dogs on leads near major roads, for three more years.

The council is looking to add a rule that says dogs must wear a collar with the owner's name and address.

Wardens could only return stray dogs to owners with up-to-date microchip information or identification tags and without this, and the authority was legally required to care for the animals through approved kennels, which came at a "considerable" cost, it said.

The PSPO places restrictions to ensure dogs are kept on leads within 100m of a school and at Bushbury's Northycote Farm.

Dogs are also banned from water features or similar facilities at council-controlled facilities at parks, open spaces, town centres, nature reserves and country parks such as fountains, ponds and splash pads. Breaching rules could lead to a £100 fine.

The council said it handled between 280 and 350 stray dogs a year.

Less than 5% had ID tags and kennel and warden charges had increased significantly in recent years, it said.

The cabinet is due to meet in September to renew the PSPO for another three years.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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