Public spaces protection orders

Walking your dog

Three of our coastal areas have restrictions between 1 May and 30 September each year where dogs aren't allowed on the beaches and must be kept on leads on the promenades.

You must keep your dog on a lead if you're in a fenced off children's play area or if you're walking through a cemetery.

There are three public spaces protection orders in place to enforce this:

• Dogs Exclusion Public Spaces Protection Order 2020
• Dogs on Leads Public Spaces Protection Order 2020
• Dogs on Leads by Direction Public Spaces Protection Order 2020

You can download the Public Spaces Protection Order 2020 Dog Control (PDF 3.77MB).

Applies to

The three public spaces protection orders apply to promenades in Swale and the area between:

• the headland at Jacobs Bank and Sheerness Swimming Pool, Sheerness
• the Playa Public House and the Little Oyster Café, Minster Leas
• Stokes Amusements and The Promenade Road, Leysdown
• Sittingbourne Cemetery, Bell Road
• Sittingbourne Capel Road Extension
• Murston Church Cemetery
• Iwade Cemetery
• Sheppey Cemetery, Western Avenue
• Faversham Cemetery, Love Lane

The Dogs on Leads by Direction Public Spaces Protection Order applies to all public spaces in Swale.

For more information, you can download the locations for the Sheerness (PDF 289kb), Minster Leas (PDF 322kb) and Leysdown (PDF 190kb).

An authorised officer can order you to put your dog on a lead in any area of Swale.

Exceptions

These orders don’t apply if you:

• have a reasonable excuse for being in these locations with your dog
• have consent from the landowner to be there
• are registered blind under the Care and Support (Sight impaired and Severely Sight impaired Adults) Regulations, 2014
• have an assistance dog from either Dogs for the Disabled, Support Dogs or Canine Partners for Independence

Fines

You’ll receive a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) of £100 for each offence if you:

• walk your dog in a prohibited area
• walk your dog without a lead
• don’t put your dog on a lead when an environment officer tells you to