We, the undersigned, ask Stockport Council to renew the Public Space Protection Order on responsible dog ownership across the borough.

For several years, this order gave the council the power to act on dog fouling, to keep dogs out of enclosed children's play areas and enclosed sports areas, to require leads in cemeteries, to limit the number of dogs one person can walk in parks and open spaces to four, and to ask owners to put a dog on a lead if it was out of control. It also meant people had to carry something to pick up after their dog, and it set a £100 fine for fouling on public land. It wasn't renewed in 2025, and those rules no longer apply.

At Full Council on Thursday 1 October 2026 the Liberal Democrat administration said it does not believe there is enough evidence to justify renewing the order. We'd like to help fill that gap. If you have seen dog mess on the pavement, been worried by a dog off the lead, or found a play area or cemetery hard to enjoy because of dogs, your experience counts. A signature is a small thing, but a few thousand of them are hard to ignore.

Most dog owners are lovely and do the right thing, and this petition isn't aimed at them. It's about giving the council the tools to deal with the few who don't.

Cllr Asa Caton