The Dog Control Orders (Prescribed Offences and Penalties, etc.) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012

Regulations 3 and 4

SCHEDULE 1 OFFENCE OF FAILING TO REMOVE DOG FAECES and FORM OF ORDER

1.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), it is an offence for any person when being in charge of a dog on land to which a dog control order (described as a “Fouling of Land by Dogs Order” in the form of order set out below) applies, not to remove forthwith faeces deposited by the dog at any time or during such times or periods as may be specified in the order.

(2) No offence is committed where the person has a reasonable excuse for failing to remove the faeces, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to the person failing to do so.

(3) The offence does not apply to a person who—

(a) is registered as blind or partially sighted in Northern Ireland in a register maintained by or on behalf of a health and social services trust;

(b) is registered as a blind or partially sighted person in a register compiled under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948; or

(c) has a disability which affects the person’s sight, mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by Dogs for the Disabled (registered charity number 700454), Support Dogs (registered charity number 1088281), Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (registered charity number 209617) or Canine Partners for Independence (registered charity number 803680) and upon which the person relies for assistance.

2.  In any Fouling of Land by Dogs Order, the offence of failing to remove dog faeces is to be set out in full as stated in Article 3 in the form of order given below.

3.  In all other respects, a Fouling of Land by Dogs Order providing for that offence is to be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

Regulations 3 and 4

SCHEDULE 2 OFFENCE OF NOT KEEPING A DOG ON A LEAD and FORM OF ORDER

1.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), it is an offence for any person when being in charge of a dog on land to which a dog control order (described as a “Dogs on Leads Order” in the form of order set out below) applies, not to keep the dog on a lead or on a lead of a maximum length prescribed in the order, at any time or during such times or periods as may be specified in the order.

(2) No offence is committed where the person has a reasonable excuse for failing to keep the dog on a lead, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to the person failing to do so.

2.  In any Dogs on Leads Order, the offence of not keeping a dog on a lead is to be set out in full as stated in Article 3 in the form of order given below.

3.  In all other respects, a Dogs on Leads Order providing for that offence is to be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

Regulations 3 and 4

SCHEDULE 3 OFFENCE OF NOT PUTTING AND KEEPING A DOG ON A LEAD, UNDER DIRECTION and FORM OF ORDER

1.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), it is an offence for any person when being in charge of a dog on land to which a dog control order (described as a “Dogs on Leads by Direction Order” in the form of order set out below) applies, not to put, and thereafter keep, the dog on a lead or on a lead of a maximum length prescribed in the order, at any time or during such times or periods as may be specified in the order, when directed to do so by an authorised officer of a district council.

(2) No offence is committed where the person has a reasonable excuse for failing to comply with a direction to put and keep the dog on a lead, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to the person failing to do so.

2.  In any Dogs on Leads by Direction Order, the offence of not putting and keeping a dog on a lead, by direction, is to be set out in full as stated in Article 4 in the form of the order given below.

3.  In all other respects, a Dogs on Leads by Direction Order providing for that offence is to be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

Regulations 3 and 4

SCHEDULE 4 OFFENCE OF PERMITTING A DOG TO ENTER LAND FROM WHICH IT IS EXCLUDED and FORM OF ORDER

1.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraphs (2) and (3), it is an offence for any person when being in charge of a dog on land to which a dog control order (described as a “Dogs Exclusion Order” in the form of order set out below) applies, at any time or during such times or periods as may be specified in the order, to take the dog onto, or to permit it to enter or to remain on, such land.

(2) No offence is committed where the person has a reasonable excuse for taking the dog onto, or permitting it to enter or remain on, the land, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to the person doing so.

(3) The offence does not apply to a person with a disability (within the meaning of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995)(1) in respect of a dog kept or used by the person wholly or mainly for the purpose of assisting the person to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

2.  In any Dogs Exclusion Order, the offence of taking a dog onto, or permitting it to enter or to remain on, land from which it is excluded is to be set out in full as stated in Article 3 in the form of order given below.

3.  In all other respects, a Dogs Exclusion Order providing for that offence is to be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

Regulations 3 and 4

SCHEDULE 5 OFFENCE OF TAKING MORE THAN A SPECIFIED NUMBER OF DOGS ONTO LAND and FORM OF ORDER

1.—(1) Subject to sub-paragraph (2), it is an offence for any person when being in charge of more than one dog on land to which a dog control order (described as a “Dogs (Specified Maximum) Order” in the form of order set out below) applies, at any time or during such times or periods as may be specified in the order, to take more than the maximum number of dogs specified in the order onto that land.

(2) No offence is committed where the person has a reasonable excuse for taking more than the specified maximum number of dogs onto the land, or the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to the person doing so.

2.  In any Dogs (Specified Maximum) Order, the offence of taking more than a specified number of dogs onto land is to be set out in full as stated in Article 4 in the form of order given below.

3.  In all other respects, a Dogs (Specified Maximum) Order providing for that offence is to be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

Regulation 5

SCHEDULE 6 FORM OF ORDER AMENDING A DOG CONTROL ORDER

1.  An order amending a dog control order shall be in the form of order given below, or in a form substantially to the like effect.

2.  Where the amendment is to the description of an offence, the amendment shall be made by substituting the entire Article which sets out the offence, and the substituted Article shall set out the offence as it is required to be stated were it contained in a newly made dog control order.

(1)

1995 c. 50