Breaking lesser-know dog laws could catch pet owners out and see them fined up to £20,000 or in JAIL

YOU could be hit with fines and even jail time if you don’t follow these lesser-known dog laws.

Picking up your dog’s mess while out on a walk is an obvious one but there are a few rules that could catch you out.

Here are the laws every dog owner should know to make sure you don’t get on the wrong side of the cops.

ID TAGS

You could face a fine or even jail time if your dog isn’t tagged with your details.

The Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that a dog must wear a tag with its owner’s name and address on it.

Owners that fail to tag their dogs properly are considered guilty of an offence against the Animal Health Act 1981.

You could be hit with an unlimited fine or up to six-months in prison.

But the penalties are unlikely to be that severe.

LEAD WALKING

Taking your dog off its lead is allowed in most parts of the UK, but there are some spots where it’s illegal.

You could be fined up to £1,000 if your dog is not permitted to be off its lead.

If a local authority has issued a Public Spaces Protection Order or Dog Control Order, this bans dogs from entering that area.

Beaches, sports pitches and flower beds are common places that are off-limits to dogs under these acts.

Owners should lookout for signs warning them of any rules that are in place.

The Road Traffic Act 1998 also states that it is a criminal offence for a dog to be off its lead in a “designated road”.

Dog owners could be fined up to £20,000 and six months in prison if they fail to obey the relevant laws in a road accident, according to .

DRIVING

You must properly secure your pet in your car otherwise you could be breaching the Highway Code.

Owners could be hit with a fine of up to £5,000 for “carless driving”.

It’s recommended that you put your dog in the backseat or boot.

Although it’s not set out in law that dogs shouldn’t stick their heads out of the window, drivers can be pulled over for “driving without due care and attention”.

This could result in a fine or getting points on your license.