Launched at Crufts in 2006, the Kennel Club’s KC Dog is a free-to-join campaign that helps to promote and protect dog owners’ rights by keeping members informed about Kennel Club campaign activities, including dog control orders.

Section 6 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act enables local authorities to implement the following restrictions, known as dog control orders:

• The fouling of land by dogs and the removal of dog faeces
• The keeping of dogs on leads
• The keeping of dogs on leads by direction
• The exclusion of dogs from land
• The number of dogs which a person may take on to any land

Failure to comply results in a fixed penalty fine.

The Kennel Club's position
Councils must consult with the public on dog control orders prior to their introduction. The Kennel Club will alert local dog walkers to consultations taking place in their local areas to ensure that that they can have their say.

The Kennel Club campaigns for dogs to enjoy maximum access to the UK’s open spaces in return for responsible ownership. We therefore look to work with councils to discuss problems and possible solutions to avoid the introduction of dog control orders.

These positive alternatives embody the principle of integrated access management, which recognises the many benefits dogs bring to society, is balanced against the need to address dog associated issues.

Detailed studies have shown that greater compliance can be achieved by engaging positively with dog owners through themes that are important to them. There are a number of ways local authorities can engage with dog walkers, for instance:

• Dog day events - including on-site training classes and information about good dog walks
• Canine community notice boards
• Providing dog 'pit stops', where owners get free dog food samples
• Seasonal signs / notices at sensitive times and places e.g near sheep, ground-nesting birds etc

We have also produced a wallet-sized ‘Walkies’ guide to walking your dog in the English and Welsh countryside.  To request a 'Walkies' guide please email kcdog@thekennelclub.org.uk.

How to get involved:

Useful links

• Find UK beaches where you can walk your dog
• Download our KC Dog Information Pack
• Contact the KC Dog team
• Check for dog control orders in your area

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