The city’s Public Order Office has recently been receiving an increasing number of complaints about dog owners who do not keep their dogs on a leash or who fail to clean up after them. Therefore, the city administration strongly urges dog owners to familiarize themselves with the City of Idar-Oberstein’s Public Safety Ordinance. Among other things, this ordinance contains regulations regarding the handling of dogs in public.
According to these regulations, dogs must be kept on a leash when walked within built-up areas. Outside built-up areas, dogs may be walked off-leash—but they must be put on a leash immediately and without being asked when other people approach. It is prohibited to bring dogs into children’s playgrounds or to allow them to roam freely in other public areas (such as parks, picnic areas, recreational facilities, and sports facilities), or to let them swim in fountains, ponds, or water basins.
Furthermore, dog owners are required to immediately remove their dogs’ waste from public parks and public thoroughfares. However, in recent weeks, the Public Order Office has received multiple complaints from citizens regarding what is in some cases extreme contamination caused by dog feces. In addition to sidewalks and green spaces, playgrounds and recreational facilities are also affected.
The administration is aware that many dog owners behave responsibly, walk their dogs on a leash, and carry dog waste bags to dispose of the “landmines” immediately. But of course, there are also those who do not comply with the relevant regulations. And that can certainly get expensive. This is because both violations of the regulations set forth in the Public Safety Ordinance constitute administrative offenses that can be punished with fines of up to 5,000 euros. The city administration therefore urges dog owners to behave responsibly in order to avoid unnecessary confrontations.
- An "Information sheet for dog ownership", which contains tips and rules of conduct for dog owners, is available on the municipal website www.idar-oberstein.de.