Pembrokeshire County Council will now fine people caught walking their dogs on beaches where they are banned.

At Thursday’s full council (July 18) Clr. Pat Davies cabinet member for housing and regulatory services said: “We often have complaints about dogs on our beaches, the control of dogs on our beaches and the hygiene and the problem of keeping our beaches family friendly and safe.”

“We want to keep our beaches clean, safe and family friendly, so this is an ideal opportunity to achieve this with fixed penalty notices.

“Our accommodation welcomes dogs so it is a balancing act but we do feel that because of public concern, we do need to implement these fines rather than the lengthy prosecution process,” she added.

Dogs are banned between May 1 and September 30 at Tenby’s North Beach, Castle Beach, part of South Beach, Whitesands and St Davids, with restrictions also on parts of Saundersfoot, Lydstep, Amroth, Newgale, Saundersfoot, Poppit Sands, Broad Haven North and Dale.

The by-laws also ban dogs off leads on the ‘promenade’ at Newgale, Saundersfoot and Amroth.

A fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £75 can now be issued for a dog, other than Guide Dogs, in the restricted areas.

A report said the move is “consistent with similar public protection offences such as littering and dog fouling”, with the amount possible to charge ranging form £50 to £150.

Clr. Joshua Beynon called for all assistance dogs to be exempt and was told that District Enforcement – the company that carries out enforcement – would be told to allow that but the official by-law was so old it only referred to ‘dogs assisting blind people.’

The FPNs will be issued by District Enforcement officers and the county’s dog warden, council was told, but no additional officers would be employed.

Questions were raised about the adequacy of signage and ensuring people are not “caught out” unawares.

Clr. Jon Harvey asked if warnings could be given first in case people “through no fault of their own have let their dog paddle in the sea without realising.”

Councillors voted in favour of the FPN enforcement of the dog ban.