A ‘VERY expensive dog walk’ has landed a Rugby woman with a near-£500 bill for failing to keep her Chihuahuas on a lead in a town cemetery.
Georgina Clarke was walking her dogs in Clifton Road cemetery in October when she was spotted by Rugby Borough Council wardens on a routine patrol.
One of the Chihuahuas ran towards the wardens, barking, and Clarke shouted at the dog.
When the wardens approached her she apologised and, when asked, confirmed both dogs belonged to her.
One of the wardens explained it was an offence to fail to keep dogs on leads in cemeteries and on public roads.
He then issued her with an £80 fixed penalty notice and Clarke gave her home address as a property in Cambridge Street.
But after she failed to pay the fine, a letter was sent to the address she had given the warden. On receiving no reply, the wardens checked the council’s records and discovered the address she had given was different to the address in Cambridge Street registered at the Town Hall.
After failing to pay the fixed penalty, Clarke’s case was heard at Nuneaton’s Warwickshire Justice Centre on Tuesday April 4.
She was found guilty in her absence of breaching a dog control order and was fined £80.
The 38-year-old was also ordered to pay £361 costs and a £30 victim surcharge, leading a magistrate to comment: “It was a very expensive dog walk.”
Speaking after the hearing, the council’s environment and public realm spokeswoman Coun Lisa Parker said: “The borough’s dog control orders form part of the council’s on-going campaign to encourage responsible dog ownership.
“Rugby’s parks, cemeteries and green spaces should be a safe environment for our residents, and dog owners who fail to comply with our dog control orders rightly run the risk of a fine.”
Visit www.rugby.gov.uk/dogcontrol for more information on the council’s dog control orders.
