£80 fine if you walk more than two dogs at same time

The by-law, introduced by Kensington and Chelsea council in January, also stipulates that in certain areas, including public footpaths and some grassed squares, dogs must be kept on leads no more than 4ft long.

Anyone breaking the dog control order can be issued with an £80 on-the-spot fine and the Tory-run council has ordered its enforcement officers to seek out repeat offenders.

Today, residents of the borough joined professional dog-walkers to fight the rules, which have been labelled "draconian".

Actress Felicity Kendal, who has been a dog owner for years, said: "This kind of absurd legislation affects the way we live.

"To live in a society where the number of pets a person can have is controlled by the council, and where people patrol the streets treating animals like motor cars, is a clear example of the nanny state going too far."

Resident Tara Hewitt, 37, is the latest dog walker to receive a fixed penalty notice after being caught looking after four small dogs while waiting for a friend to come and help walk them.

She accused the council of using "scaremongering" tactics after she was warned by three enforcement officers not to fight the fine in court.

"I had no idea about the law but they still gave me a ticket," she said.

"They suggested that if I tried to take it to court I wouldn't have a leg to stand on and I would end up with a bigger fine - up to £1,000."

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the Conservative MP for Kensington and Chelsea, said he had received more letters on the issue than any other since he took office.

"I think the council has bitten off more than it can chew and is beginning to realise the strength of feeling about this," he said.

"I have spoken to the council and my understanding is they are looking again at this."

He said he was also concerned the rules would put professional dogwalkers out of business. He said: "As a dog owner I know some people have a legitimate need for a dog-walker because their pets need exercise."

The Kennel Club has called on the council to review the by-law to make it "reasonable and reflective of public opinion".

A spokeswoman said it believed the dog control order "slipped through the net" without proper consultation.

Kensington and Chelsea council leader Merrick Cockell said he would look closely at the by-law before making any further decision but promised to quash any fines levied on residents and to "send them a bunch of flowers".

A spokesman for the council said it had already been forced to revoke three of the four fines issued in the past six months, but he insisted that some cases did warrant action.

He said: "There is a growing concern about some dog-walkers taking as many as 12 dogs out at the same time.

"In such numbers dogs are excitable, display pack behaviour and are more than a single walker can handle. The vast majority of dog owners exercise their dogs responsibly."