Dog beach bans returning to Sunderland - what you need to know to avoid a £100 fine

They will apply to Roker beach and part of Seaburn’s beach between Monday, May 1 and Saturday, September 30.

Anyone caught breaching the dog exclusion zones or not clearing up after their dog and disposing of the waste in a dog waste bin or their own bin faces a fixed penalty fine of £100.

The rules are part of Sunderland City Council’s wider Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).

This was introduced in 2019 in response to calls from residents for more action on antisocial behaviour issues including dog fouling and dropping litter. It was renewed in 2021.

The council says issued 226 fixed penalty notices for dog fouling and dog control offences across the city in the last year, plus 138 for dog fouling and dog control at Roker and Seaburn beaches.

Michelle Coates is neighbourhood enforcement manager at the council.

She said: “We know from our Let's Talk resident feedback that the environment is a top priority for our residents with calls for more enforcement action.

“More than 90% of those who took part in the consultation we carried out ahead of the last PSPO renewal were in favour of keeping the dog exclusion zones on our beaches as they are.

“We're aware that not everyone knows about the dog exclusion zones or remembers when they come into force which is why we're taking this opportunity to remind them. We also have clear signage at both beaches as well as information on our website.

“We're lucky enough to have some fabulous beaches in Sunderland with more than enough space for everyone, so we would ask anyone planning to take their dog for a walk along the beach to make sure that they check the signage and observe the zones.

“We would also ask people to make sure that they clean up after their dogs.

"Although the vast majority of our residents do this, we still see some irresponsible dog owners who allow their dogs to foul on our footpaths, green spaces and beaches and don't clear it up.”

For further information on Sunderland’s Public Space Protection Order and the area covered by the dog exclusion zone, visit www.sunderland.gov.uk/pspo.