A DOG walker who put the lives of other members of the public at risk by letting his dog run around off-lead next to a busy road has been prosecuted and fined.

Teignbridge District Council had received complaints that Mr D regularly walked his dog off-lead next to a busy road.

A member of the public sent the Council photographs showing Mr D walking with his dog several metres ahead of him and of Mr D throwing a ball for his dog in the road before he reached a public footpath into a field.

Mr D was issued with a fixed penalty notice as his actions were considered to pose a safety risk to other members of the public, including children and drivers, and his dog.

Walking a dog off-lead in or next to a public road is a breach of the Teignbridge Dog Control Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) and Section 56 of the Highway Code.

However, Mr D argued that his dog was trained and had good recall and appealed the fixed penalty notice.

The matter was then referred to Newton Abbot Magistrates Court.

Mr D was fined £150, which was reduced to £100 for an early guilty plea, and he was ordered to pay £500 costs to Teignbridge District Council.

Teignbridge District Council introduced its Dog PSPO in 2019, after a public consultation, to try and reduce irresponsible dog ownership.

It has since been updated a number of times and is part of the Council’s commitment to making the District a desirable place to live, work and visit by tackling persistent issues that damage communities and the environment.

The PSPO stipulates that dogs must be kept on a fixed one metre lead when walking next to a road, on a footpath next to the road, or on a cycle path of shared pathway.

The PSPO also: requires owners to pick up after their dogs in public spaces and to carry enough poo bags; limits the number of dogs that can be walked at one time to six; and stipulates dog exclusion zones such as play parks and some beaches during the summer.