DOG parks, exercise areas and restricted zones and whether they are necessary in Pembrokeshire have been brought to heel by councillors.

Two Notices of Motion were tabled by Pembroke councillor Aaron Carey earlier this year, but neither have been recommended for approval by members of the policy and pre-decision committee, which considered them on September 24.

He called on the council to make all play areas it owned or maintained “dog restricted zones all year round and introduce a bylaw to this effect.”

Cllr Carey said that children were entitled to a “safe and pleasurable experience when using play areas” and there was no reason people should be letting their dogs run freely around in those spaces.

Offices found “insufficient evidence of ongoing and persistent dog fouling across all council owned or maintained children’s play areas to justify the introduction of Public Space Protection Orders.”

Haverfordwest councillor Tim Evans said he know many families with dogs who take them to parks and are responsible; “we don’t have a problem with 99 per cent of dog owners,” he added.

The committee felt that the current District Enforcement capability to fine problem dog owners was suitable but would monitor the situation.

Cllr Carey also asked that the council “explores the idea” of dog parks/exercise areas and accepted a report prepared into the matter which highlighted that there were many alternative options for people to exercise their dogs and maintaining a council facility would cost a disproportionate amount.

Concerns about ‘dog-on-dog’ attacks in smaller spaces was also raised as a concern by the dog warden team.

There had also been nine community protection notices had been issued, environmental health officer Steve Morbey said on Thursday, which took time to be issued and required follow up monitoring to ensure anti-social behaviour was not continuing.

He encouraged members, town and community councils, and the public, to contact the council with any dog related issues.

Cllr Mike James highlighted concerns about people walking seven or eight dogs at a time on Poppit Sands and Newport beach and was told there was guidance that five or six is considered controllable, and again any problems must be reported.