Environment and Planning >> Dog Control Orders

Dog Control Orders: The Dogs on Leads Order

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The Dogs on Leads Order - Summary

The Dogs on Leads Order requires dogs to be kept on a lead in a number of areas throughout the Borough at certain times specified in the order.

In Parks and Open Spaces

Dogs can be exercised off a lead in all parks and open spaces except the following areas

• Lower Alexandra Park between Dordrecht Way and Bethune Way - dogs must be kept on a lead between 8.00am and 6.00pm every day
• St Leonards Gardens - dogs must be kept on a lead between 9.00am and 6.00pm every day, everywhere within this site
• Upper Rose Garden, Warrior Square Gardens - dogs must be kept on a lead between 9.00am and 6.00pm every day

Please note, outside of these times dogs can be exercised off a lead (i.e. before 8.00am in Alexandra Park and before 9.00am in St. Leonards Gardens and Warrior Square Gardens and after 6.00pm at all of the sites).

On the Promenade and Beach

The order requires people to keep their dogs on a lead on the promenade at all times.  The area covered is shown on Map 02a, Map 02b, Map 02c and Map 02d.

This is a change from the previous byelaw which only operated between 1 May and 30 September.

People also have to keep their dog on a lead between 1 May and 30 September on the part of the beach in front of the car park at the very end of Rock-a-Nore Road opposite the Hastings Motor Boat and Yacht Club between groynes 1 and 3 (Map 6).

On the Road

Dogs must be kept on a lead on all roads in the Borough at all times.  This includes the pavement as well as the carriageway.  This requirement has not been changed from the previous legislation in force in the Borough made under The Hastings (Control of Dogs) Order 2004.

In this case 'road' is as defined by section 142 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.  This means any length of highway or of any other road to which the public has access, and includes bridges over which a road passes.  This definition includes public rights of way, such as public footpaths, as well as permissive paths which are paths to which the public has access by permission of the landowner, rather than by right.

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The Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 -
The Dogs on Leads (Borough of Hastings) Order 2008

The Dog Control orders (Prescribed Offences and Penalties, etc.) Regulations 2005 (S.I. 2006/1059)

The Dogs on Leads (Borough of Hastings) Order 2008

The Borough of Hastings hereby makes the following Order:

1. This Order comes into force on 25 March 2008

2. This Order applies to the land specified in Schedule 1;

Schedule 1

1. All roads within the Borough of Hastings (as defined by Section 142 of the Road Traffic regulation Act 1984) (as shown on Map 01 delineated in red)
2. The Promenade being the areas i) between the South side of the carriageway of the A259 and the beach from, in the East, an imaginary line running northwards from the Harbour Arm to the Eastern end of East Beach Street to, in the west, the junction of the A259 with Sea Road, all such area to include the footway on the South Side of the A259, the Upper and Lower Promenades incorporating Bottle Alley, Marina Car Park and Pelham Place Car Park (as shown on Map 02a, Map 02b, Map 02c, cross-hatched in green) and ii) between the South side of the carriageway of Sea Road and the beach (as shown on Map 02d crosshatched in green)
3. Alexandra Park between Dordrecht Way and Bethune Way (as shown on Map 03 cross-hatched in blue); St Leonards Gardens (as shown on Map 04 cross hatched in blue) Warrior Square Gardens, Rose Garden only (as shown on Map 05 crosshatched in blue)
4. The area of foreshore and beach between groynes 1 and 3 south of Rock-a-Nore Road car park.  (as shown on Map 06 cross-hatched in yellow)

Offence

3. (1) A person in charge of a dog shall be guilty of an offence if during the times specified in Schedule 2 on any land to which this Order applies he does not keep the dog on a lead unless:

1. he has a reasonable excuse for failing to do so; or
2. the owner, occupier or other person or authority having control of the land has consented (generally or specifically) to his failing to do so.

(2) For the purposes of this article a person who habitually has a dog in his possession shall be taken to be in charge of the dog at any time unless at that time some other person is in charge of the dog.

Schedule 2

1. At all times for land as specified in Schedule 1(a) and (b)
2. Between the hours of 9.00am and 6.00pm (through out the year) for land as specified in Schedule 1(c).
3. At all times between 1 May and 30 September for land as specified in Schedule 1(d).
4. At all times between 1 May and 30 September for land as specified in Schedule 1(e).

Penalty

4. A person who is guilty of an offence under Article 3 shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

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