Chiba, our Japanese Akita rescue dog and a roving ‘barkitect’ sniffs out spaces of interest in Shoreditch… C,,–,,> The Game of Barkitecture is one of identifying canine access. Under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005, local authorities were given the power to introduce Dog Control Orders (DCOs) in order to address dog related issues in open spaces. The DCOs can include dog exclusion orders, dogs on lead orders, dogs on lead by direction orders, removing dog foul orders and orders limiting a number of dogs walked by one person. Any proposed DCOs must be advertised for consultation in local newspapers. Whilst no record is held regarding how many DCOs have been implemented in England and Wales, access officers in local authorities have indicated that there has been an increasing amount of restrictions placed on dog owners every year. This trend has impacted on dog walkers, some of whom have been dispersed onto sensitive land which has caused wider negative effects to both plant and animal life, and thereby causing further restrictions being placed on dogs and their owners. From October 20th 2014, Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) will be introduced under the Anti-social behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 and will replace DCOs. The local authorities will have similar powers to introduce orders, except there will be no requirement for them to advertise PSPO consultations in local newspapers. So our pet subject is: What is the law on allowing dogs in bars, restaurants and shops? The difference in attitudes to dogs in commercial establishments between say Germany (where dog friendliness ranks above child friendliness) and the UK is cultural rather than legal. There is no British law that prevents a dog entering a premise – it is at the discretion of the landlord. There is a gross misconception in the UK that dogs are not allowed in places where food is served: this is not the case. The only legal obligation on the owner is to make sure there is no risk of contamination and that all food preparation areas are up to specified hygiene standards. So with this in mind we took Chiba along to our local butcher’s Brian Roberts (Peckover Traditional Butchers) which was awarded a Food Hygiene Rating of 4 (Good) by the local Council in 2015 – presumably not a 5 because the sight of a dog in a butcher’s shop still raises an eyebrow or two. The Kennel Club’s Open for Dogs Campaign aims to persuade more UK businesses to be dog-friendly. Each year there is a competition to find the most dog-friendly, with the winners announced at the Discover Dogs…

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