Scores of councils in England and Wales have used new powers to ban dogs from parks, open spaces and beaches, often without owners being aware of the restrictions.

In many council-run areas, owners are also being made to keep dogs on leads.

Fines for breaching the law vary from £25 to £80, but if a council decides to bring a prosecution in a magistrates’ court, the penalty rises to a maximum of £1,000.

The Kennel Club has been inundated with complaints, and has raised concerns with ministers and opposition parties.

Emily Jeffrey, external affairs officer for the club, said that the problem arose from powers in the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act 2005, although many councils had only recently started using them.

The club has no problem with councils who clamp down on owners who allow their pets to foul parks, ban dogs from children’s playgrounds or limit the number of dogs a person is allowed to walk in a public area, she said. But it is dismayed about dogs being banned or forced on to leads in areas where they have traditionally been allowed to run freely.

Ms Jeffrey added: “All councils have to do is to put a small notice in a local newspaper setting out the areas where dogs are to be excluded or restricted. How many people read these notices? Owners can go to a park one day and the next day they find a new rule and they risk a fine.

“There is no appeal and we would like to see a statutory appeals process. Some of our members are worried they are running out of places to give their dogs a good run.”

One of the most bitter feuds is in Ottery St Mary, Devon, where owners have been fighting plans to ban dogs from Winters Lane, a popular community recreation ground.

Sarah Row, 33, who has a 16-month-old son and two collie crosses, said: “This is where families bring their dogs. I am not going to risk the life of my son or dogs on country lanes and it is impossible to get a pushchair to the path by the river. If dogs are banned from Winters Lane I am going to have to drive six or seven miles to a park.”

About 400 dog walkers have ob- jected to the plan formally, and fewer than 20 lodged their support. But the executive Cabinet of East Devon Council has decided to proceed.

Mrs Row said dog owners would apply for a judicial review hearing in the High Court, if necessary.

A spokesman for the Local Government Association said councils “were not averse to a right of appeal if re- sponsible owners felt hard done by”.

Typical controls and penalties

Rugby

Dogs allowed only on leads in Caldecott Park and four council-owned cemeteries.

Penalty for breaches: £50 fine if paid within ten days or £80 within 14 days.

Failure to pay may result in prosecution with maximum £1,000 fine.

London Borough of Greenwich (from November 2)

Owners should look out for “No Dogs Allowed” signs.

Dogs banned from all children’s parks and crematoriums and 16 local parks and open spaces including Kidbrooke Nature Reserve, Fearon Park and Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park.

Penalty: on-the-spot fine of £75 or prosecution with maximum £1,000 fine.

Sources: Kennel Club/council websites