LEAD - Local Environmental Awareness on Dogs

Taking the lead on dogs

Our LEAD initiative is all about encouraging the responsible ownership of all dog breeds – with the aim of improving public safety, reducing anti-social behaviour and ensuring dogs are looked after appropriately.

By working with local authority partners, we’re providing advice to the public on issues relating to dogs, improving safety in the community and looking at dog welfare.

As a partnership, we’re taking action to make our communities safer for all by:

• recording all incidents involving negative dog behaviour including dog attacks on people and animals; dog welfare and dog fouling. This is important to create a documented history should enforcement through LEAD be necessary
• encouraging owners (if a social housing resident) to register their dog with their landlord.

There are times when the police need to respond, put control measures in place and, ultimately, prosecute offenders.

We will intervene when:

• dogs are used by owners to commit crime.
• dogs are linked with anti-social behaviour.
• prohibited types/breeds come to notice.

For more information on banned breeds, and what we do to protect the public from dangerous dogs, visit the national page.

The measures we use to ensure responsible ownership

If our partnership receives reports of irresponsible dog ownership, or repeated calls around ASB involving dogs, there are several steps we take to protect the public.

These can include sending warning letters, issuing acceptable behaviour contracts and introducing public space protection orders.

1. Incident reported.
2. Warning letter and LEAD information pack.
3. Second incident reported (within six months of first warning letter).
4. Final warning letter and education offer.
5. Third incident reported (within six months of final warning letter).
6. Referral to strike three intervention group for multi-agency intervention and acceptable behavioural contract.
7. Fourth incident reported (within six months of strike three).
8. Referral to strike four group for multi-agency intervention and enforcement (Community Protection Warnings, Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Order’s if awarded by the courts).

Have you got an issue relating to dogs in your community? Here’s who can help

If you’ve experienced a problem relating to dogs in your neighbourhood, we want to make sure you get in touch with the right person, at the right time, so that we can help.

Different organisations within the LEAD partnership are responsible for responding to specific calls. Here’s a breakdown so you know who can help your enquiry.

Police | contact the police via 101, social media or the website if you have any information regarding illegal breeds, dangerous dogs, ASB involving dogs or when dogs are involved in any criminal activity. Always call 999 in an emergency.

Local authority | your local council can assist with reports of noisy dogs, dog fouling, illegal breeding or strays.

RSPCA | call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 for concerns for the health and welfare of dogs.