Rushmere Common welcomes all, including responsible dog owners.

There are FREE dog waste bags provided for you to use if you do not have any. These can be found in the wooden boxes located at most of the entrances to the common, next to the dog waste bins. We would appreciate it if you only take one or two bags at a time so there is enough for everyone. Please clean up after your dog/dogs. We have had incidents where dog owners have cleaned up after their dogs but then left the bags in the bushes or trees. Please consider all and use the bins provided.

There is now a new box situated on the edge of the common boundary, near the seventh green, beside the two dog waste bins. 

Dog fouling and the law

Where there is a persistent problem, officers will try to identify irresponsible dog owners. The Public Space Protection Order makes it illegal to fail to clear up after your dog if it fouls any land that is open to the air and to which the public have access. Inconsiderate dog owners could face a fixed penalty fine of £80 or a fine of up to £1000 if there is a conviction in the courts.

https://www.eastsuffolk.gov.uk/environment/environmental-protection/animals/dog-control/dog-fouling/

 

There have also been incidents of owners throwing balls in the direction of the greens and dogs running across them, which really damages them. Please be respectful of the hard work that goes into keeping the greens in tip top condition and keep dogs away from them if possible.    

Dog walkers are respectively reminded that their dogs must be kept under control. If it is deemed that the dog is out of control this is a criminal offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act Section 3 with strict penalties applied. We hope you and your dog enjoy the common and please help keep it clean and safe for all.

The law applies to all dogs.

Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it:

Injures someone or makes someone worried that it might injure them.

A court could also decide that your dog is dangerously out of control if:

It injures someone's animal

The owner of the animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal.

You can be fined up to £5,000 and/or sent to prison for up to 6 months if your dog is out of control. You may not be allowed to own a dog in the future.

If you let your dog injure someone, you can be sent to prison for up to 2 years and/or fined.

For further information see: www.gov.uk/control-dog-public/overview.