THE Kennel Club is asking people to complete Warrington Borough Council’s survey on dog fouling but says it does not support dog registration as a solution to the problem.

Compulsory registration can involve owners being forced to pay for their pet’s DNA profile and The Kennel Club says this would be an ‘unnecessary tax’ on responsible owners.

Caroline Kisko, Kennel Club Secretary, said: “We are concerned that certain questions in Warrington Borough Council’s survey allude to the possibility that they may propose a dog registration system that relies on dogs’ DNA. 

“We know from dog licensing, which was abolished in England in 1987, that this would mean additional cost to responsible dog owners, whilst the irresponsible minority would continue to flout the law.

“In order to make any public consultation effective, even at the informal stages, there should be a certain level of transparency, but Warrington Borough Council does not seem to be being particularly forthcoming about their intentions.”

The organisation said it supports the council’s efforts to tackle dog fouling but said that in areas of Ireland and Northern Ireland, only 30 to 40 percent of owners obeyed compulsory dog registration rules.

Caroline said: “We can all agree that dog mess is unpleasant, but we would be concerned if the council tries to force Warrington’s dog owners, the vast majority of whom are perfectly responsible and always pick up after their dogs, to register their dogs and pay for their pet’s DNA profile.

“There are a number of alternatives for dealing with dog fouling, such as community engagement events, awareness raising campaigns and the promotion of responsible dog ownership, all of which we would be very happy to discuss with the council.

“In its survey the council seems to be putting forward the merits of a dog registration system, such as access to information about the breed of a dog and about the health profile of a breed of dog, for an additional cost, but these are things that are already available through other avenues that do not involve compulsory registration.

“We would encourage as many people as possible to have their say on the issue so that the council can make as fair an assessment as possible, to help ensure that any future decisions are made in the best interests of all parties.”

The survey closes on May 1 and can be completed online at warrington.gov.uk/consultations.