Responsible dog ownership

A dog as a gift is not a good idea. If you feel you would like a dog, ask yourself a few questions first.

• Have you enough space in your home?
• Do you have plenty of spare time to look after your pet properly?
• Can you afford to feed, house and pay any costs, eg equipment, vets bills etc which crop up during the lifetime of the dog?
• Who will look after the dog in your absence (holidays, illness etc)?

If you have decided that you want a dog remember there are further rules for the responsible dog owner:

• Do not allow your dog to stray as they may be a hazard on the roads, a general nuisance to people and a possible health risk to children. Any owner of a dog which we pick up as a stray may have to pay the costs incurred
• Clean up after your dog has fouled. Always carry a plastic bag for this. Failure to do so may result in a fixed penalty notice being issued if you are caught
• Control your dog at all times. Train it properly, at an organised club if possible. Praise and encouragement are vital and make training fun
• Don't tease your dog, it can provoke aggression
• Exercise is important so give it plenty in a safe place
• Find out if your dog is noisy. Constant barking is very annoying and can result in legal action if a nuisance is caused. It can usually be solved by not leaving your dog alone for long periods of time.
• Remember a dog is for life!

For more information about dog related issues please contact us on 01329 236100 or e-mail regulatory@fareham.gov.uk .