Leeds City Council have issued a warning to dog owners after a Bramley woman was hit with a £5,000 fine following five offences for dog fouling and five offences for not keeping her dog on a lead.
Angela Dunn of Victoria Park Grove, Bramley, was sentenced in her absence at Leeds Magistrates Court last week and fined £5,000 in relation to ten offences. She was also charged with paying Leeds City Council’s legal costs of £1,968 and a victim surcharge of £200.
The council says Ms Dunn ended up in court after she failed to engage with the council’s cleaner neighbourhoods team, ignoring a £100 fixed penalty notice for an initial offence of dog fouling.
Councillor Mohammed Rafique, Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, said: “Not picking up after a pet that fouls in a public area is completely irresponsible and inexcusable.
“Whilst we never want to have to resort to such measures, any dog owner who behaves in such a way can be assured that a fine will be issued if there is clear evidence they have broken the law.
“If a fixed penalty notice is given, people should also be aware that we will take further action through the courts if the payment of a fine is ignored. As was the case here, this could result in a much larger financial penalty than what you have had to pay through a FPN.”
Hopefully this and other financial penalties can be put towards employing other staff to enforce this continuing disregard for public health and safety incidents and total disregard for the law.It is not the pets fault it is the arrogant minded owners.
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