Press Release

No messing about

6 January 2012

Homes for Islington (HFI) has issued its 100th fine against irresponsible dog owners.

HFI’s out of hours anti-social behaviour team have been patrolling and responding to reports of irresponsible dog ownership and have so far issued 102 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN's) helping to keep HFI estates green, clean and safe.

65% of the fines have been issued to HFI residents and 35% to non residents who have not cleaned up after their dogs and for taking their dogs into a designated exclusion area on estates.

The team responds to regular reports of irresponsible dog ownership from tenants, staff and visitors of HFI estates and the team target their patrols to these reports to take relevant action.

Islington Councils Dog Control Orders prohibit dog owners from failing to remove dog fouling in any public space, not putting and keeping a dog on a lead when directed to do so by an authorised officer in any public space areas and permitting a dog to enter land from which dogs are excluded which applies to specific areas only.

Doug Goldring, HFI’s Director of Operations said, “anti-social behaviour like this causes an unnecessary blight on open areas used by residents and their children on estates. It’s quite right that we continue to take measures to get the minority of irresponsible dog owners to keep their animals under control.”

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact Christina Lazarou in the HFI Communications team on 020 7527 4056 or email christina.lazarou@homesforislington.org.uk.

Notes to editors:

1. Homes for Islington, one of the UK’s largest arms length management organisations (ALMO), which began operations in April 2004, is charged with managing council housing stock throughout the borough. It is owned by Islington Council and managed by a Board of Directors, made up of Islington tenants and leaseholders, council representatives and independent members.
2. HFI was awarded the highest rating (3 stars with excellent prospects) from the Audit Commission in 2008, putting it in the top 4% of ALMOs in the country.
3. 65% of FPNs issued have been for owners not picking up after their dog.
4. All FPNs issued to HFI tenants are also addressed under their tenancy conditions.