The proposals, which have been developed following an extensive public consultation which received more than 6,000 responses, found that more than 88% of respondents agreed that enforcement measures should be put in place to ensure that dog owners/walkers carry bags or other suitable means for the disposal of dog faeces.

The original consultation proposals included the exclusion of dogs from marked sports pitches.  Based on feedback received in the consultation these proposals are not included in the final Public Space Protection Order.

Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said: “Responsible dog owners already clean up after their pets, keep them on a lead where appropriate and away from areas such as children’s playgrounds. But unfortunately, thanks to an irresponsible minority, the council receives hundreds of complaints every year about dog faeces and there continue to be issues across Cardiff where dogs are not controlled properly – this needs to be addressed.

“I believe the Public Space Protection Order set out in this report that, subject to the approval of my colleagues in Cabinet and the agreement of Full Council, we will be introducing later this year, strikes a balance between the need for dog owners/walkers to walk and exercise their dogs, and the needs of non-dog owners using the city’s public spaces.”

If approved, the following controls are expected to be introduced later this year:

• The prohibition of dog fouling in all public spaces owned and/or maintained by the council.
• The requirement for a dog owner to have a means of clearing dog fouling.
• The exclusion of dogs in all enclosed playgrounds and schools which are owned or maintained by Cardiff Council.
• The requirement that dogs are kept on a lead within all cemeteries owned and/or maintained by Cardiff Council.
• A requirement allowing authorised officers to give a direction that a dog(s) be put and kept on a lead if necessary.
• The fixed penalty notice charge for a breach of a Public Space Protection Order for dog controls, as set out above, is set at £100.
• The dog controls will be exempt for persons who have a disability that affects the person’s mobility, manual dexterity, physical coordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects, in respect of a dog trained by a registered charity and upon which a person relies for assistance.

The PSPO will apply to public open spaces managed and maintained by the Council including schools, enclosed children’s playgrounds and public cemeteries.