RSPCA Cymru has spoken out against Caerphilly Council banning dogs from its sporting pitches.
The council voted to ban dogs from council-owned and marked sports pitches in an attempt to prevent mess, with 53.5 per cent in favour.
However, RSPCA Cymru has criticised the all-year ban saying it is unfair on dog owners who already abide by the law and clean up after their dogs.
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The ban will cover at least 124 council-owned pitches in Caerphilly, including football, rugby and cricket grounds.
Billie-Jade Thomas of RSPCA Cymru told Nation Cymru : "We have engaged with the local authority’s recent consultation process and called for such a blanket ban not to be introduced.
“Everyone should want to see dog fouling tackled – and responsible owners should be picking up their pet’s mess.
“We don’t think blanket bans like this are the way to deal with people already breaking the law; nor fair for the vast majority of law-abiding dog owners in Caerphilly who may value some of these walking sports to exercise their beloved canine companions.”
Council leader Philippa Marsden said the permanent ban will "protect public health and wellbeing".
The new signs to enforce the law will cost £2,000 and come from the council’s existing environmental health budgets.
Dog owners in Caerphilly must already follow the rules set out under the existing Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO).
They stipulate dog owners must clear up after their dogs in public spaces, and must always have a means to clear up after them with bags or an alternative. Dogs should also be put on a lead on public land if thought to be at all out of control.
Councillor Nigel George, Cabinet member for Waste, Public Protection and Street Scene said “The order at present allows dogs to foul anywhere in an open space, provided their owner or walker clears up after them.
"As a result, you have a situation where sports clubs and others have to clean up dog mess before they can use pitches.
"This is unacceptable and why we have approved extending the PSPO to include excluding dogs from marked sports pitches."
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