MORE than 50 dog owners have been warned to keep their pets under control in public as a result of complaints made to the district council.

But despite a "large" number of reports, the Forest Council’s Street Wardens say the majority of owners they’ve worked with have responded well to their guidance, with just six formal warnings being issued last year.

The Street Wardens work to help owners to control their dogs in public when they are made aware of potential issues in order to "maintain safety in the community".

When complaints are made, they initially visit dog owners to offer advice and reaffirm their responsibility to keep their dog under control in public.

The team says the first step is often all that is required, but when cases are persistent, further action can be taken in the form of Community Protection Notices.

Where cases continue, a formal warning is issued, with instructions set out to the owner that the team believes will stop the problem having "a detrimental effect on the locality."

If such warnings are breached, a full Community Protection Notice is issued if an individual’s conduct is deemed to be having "a detrimental effect, of a persistent or continuing nature, on the quality of life of those in the area."

"Our first priority as Street Wardens is to ensure the safety of residents in our community," said Street Warden Team Leader Damion Collins.

"Though we are happy to report that the majority of dog owners act responsibly, we sadly work with those who are unable to control their animal correctly, with Street Wardens helping to ensure that it does not cause concern for other residents in the area.

"Issuing a formal warning or notice is a rare occurrence and is not something we do lightly. As a team we work with residents and owners to offer guidance and solutions to stop this happening.

"Where they are issued, it’s important to note that Community Protection Notices are there to help safeguard local communities and its residents."

The six formal warnings made last year related to owners repeatedly allowing their dogs to stray, or to dogs acting aggressively in public.

Only two of the warnings resulted in Community Protection Notices.

Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Paul Hiett, commented: "It’s important with the numbers of animals in the area that they are looked after responsibly and the work that our Street Warden Team put in to help keep the Forest of Dean safe is incredible.

"Taking the time to provide advice and engaging with dog owners in the first instance means that often there is no need to issue formal action, something that is only pursued as a last resort.

"As a council we want to ensure that residents in our community feel safe and I’d like to personally thank all of the staff involved in helping with this."