Fines of up to £5,000 will be dished out by North Tyneside Council for animal welfare offences.
North Tyneside Council's cabinet has green-lit fines for those who have committed offences under a litany of animal rights legislation, including the Animal Health Act 1981, the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and retained European laws. The fines are designed, according to council documents, as a "middle ground" in enforcement, that can offer an alternative to prosecution in the courts.
The fine, or penalty notice, can also act as an alternative to an individual getting a criminal record.
Cabinet member responsible for public health and wellbeing, Coun Karen Clark, said: "Penalty notices will provide a swift, proportionate, and cost-effective way to deal with low-level offending. Penalty notices will give a person issued with such a notice the opportunity to discharge any liability to conviction by the payment of amounts up to £5,000. If the payment is not made the person can be prosecuted for the offence."
Fines could only be issued where offences are believed to have occurred beyond a reasonable doubt, like a criminal court. The precise fine would depend on the severity of the offence and any mitigations on behalf of the accused.
The fines were supported by animal protection organisations including the British Horse Society and the Association of Dog Boarders (ADB).
The ADB stated within the report: “Penalty notices can be a valuable tool to promote animal welfare in North Tyneside. By implementing them with clear guidelines, proper training, a focus on education alongside enforcement and a commitment to addressing unlicensed pet care operations, the council can achieve positive outcomes for animal welfare in the borough.”
Dogs Trust stated that while the fines “may be an effective tool for minor, first-time offences”, in cases where there is a pattern of malpractice or where an animal’s welfare is “compromised”, prosecution should be pursued instead.
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