Man fined £700 for walking dog without a lead in Dover

A man has been fined hundreds of pounds for walking his dog without a lead in Dover in Kent.

The man was spotted by a Dog Warden from Dover District Council in the Barton Path area of the town - an area which requires dogs to be on leads at all times.

A spokesperson for Dover District Council said: "Following a prosecution by DDC heard at Folkestone Magistrates Court this week, the man was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £375 with a victim surcharge of £88.

"A DDC Dog Warden had seen the man walking his dog off the lead again in the area of Barton Path in Dover."

Is it illegal to walk your dog with no lead?

There is currently no legal requirement for dogs to be kept on a lead in all public spaces.

But some public areas, such as the Barton Path area in Dover, are covered by Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) - previously called Dog Control Orders (DCOs).

In public areas with PSPOs, you may have to keep your dog on a lead, put your dog on a lead if told to by a police officer, police community support officer or someone from the council and stop your dog going to certain places - like farmland or parts of a park.

You must also limit the number of dogs you have with you, clear up after your dog, and carry a poop scoop and disposable bags.

What happens if I break the law?

Local authorities have the power to issue fines or fixed penalty notices for those who don’t comply.