If you enjoy walking or spending a day on the beach with or without a dog Cornwall Council want to hear from you about dogs on beaches.

Dogs are restricted on some beaches at certain times of the year but the legislation that controls and restricts dogs from public spaces has been changed by the government and the council has to decide how to apply the new rules on beaches in Cornwall.

The existing legislation, called Dog Control Orders, is changing to Public Space Protection Orders which are known as PSPOs. The council is proposing to incorporate all the existing conditions, times, dates and durations of dogs on beaches restrictions with new PSPOs; meaning dogs would be allowed on designated beaches at the same times as they are allowed now. Guide dogs will not be affected by the changes and are allowed on beaches, even where dog bans are in place.

Geoff Brown, Cornwall Council cabinet member for communities, said: “In introducing the new PSPOs, that restrict dogs from beaches at specific times, we have an opportunity to review the existing restrictions. We want to know if people agree with how we propose to introduce the new legislation and also if they think we should change any of the existing conditions on any or all of the beaches.”

He added: “We recognise that dog owners like to be able to walk their dogs on beaches; however we also appreciate that not everyone likes or enjoys dogs. We have to decide when and where dogs should be allowed on beaches that we are responsible for and we want to know if the current conditions are still appropriate. So it’s really important that people let us know now if they think we need to make any changes.”

PSPOs can restrict how and when dogs are allowed on beaches and other public places, and may restrict where you can walk your dog, on or off the lead, and how many dogs you can walk at one time. Public Spaces Protection Orders make it an offence if a person in charge of a dog fails to clean up its faeces.

Beaches where dog bans apply are patrolled on a regular basis and if any of the conditions of the new PSPOs are breached the council’s dog wardens can issue a £100 fine and tell the dog owner to remove their dog from the beach immediately. Anyone refusing to pay the fine may be prosecuted and fined up to £1,000.

Breaches can include having a dog on a beach during the ban period, not having a dog on a lead, or not cleaning up if a dog fouls on the beach.

It is also important to remember some privately owned beaches may have their own restrictions for dogs; although the new legislation means town and parish councils and other beach owners who want to control, restrict or exclude dogs will have to request a PSPO from Cornwall Council.

For more information about dogs on beaches go to a One Stop Shop or library, or visit cornwall./gov.uk/dogsonbeaches before January 12, or contact the council's Public Protection Team on 0300 1234 212 or communityandenvironmentalprotection@cornwall.gov.uk.

To fill out a questionnaire visit cornwall./gov.uk/dogsonbeaches.