Warning: you are entering a no-dog zone...

Arlington Square, Gibson Square and Lonsdale Square are among a long list of public spaces that have been declared dog-free.

Anyone caught walking their pets in the no-go zones will be issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice by 30 wardens who will patrol the areas.

Fines will also be imposed on owners who fail to clean up after their dogs anywhere in the borough, or fail to put their animal on a lead when the officials tell them to.

To ensure their safety, the wardens have been trained in how to approach dogs and to understand the characteristics of different breeds. They will hand out dog-fouling bags and literature about the clampdown while on patrol.

The rules have been introduced after a public consultation involving 1,700 residents. The council says 95 per cent supported the ban.

But dog-lovers claim responsible owners are being penalised for the behaviour of a minority who fail to control their pets, and that animals could miss out on the exercise they need.

Beverley Cuddy, editor of Dogs Today magazine, said a third of dogs were obese and denying owners the right to walk them near their homes could make the problem worse.

"This seems to be happening more and more all over the country," she said. "It seems there is less free space for people to exercise their dogs, which is such a shame. Dogs need the kind of walks where they are let off the lead for their physical and mental health.

"Restricting the places people can take them will mean they will have to drive out of the area - and we are all trying to get people out of their cars. The majority of people behave responsibly with their dogs and walking them is beneficial both to pet and owner."

Ruth Polling, Islington's executive member for parks, said: "We have tried very hard to balance the needs of dog owners and non-dog owners in considering our final recommendations. We will also be keeping the situation under review to make sure we get things right.

"This is as much about education as enforcement. We'd much rather the small minority of irresponsible dog owners changed their ways, so we don't have to issue any fines - but we will do so if we have to."

The wardens will also look out for people committing offences such as dropping litter and spitting out gum.

PUBLIC AREAS WHERE THE ISLINGTON BAN APPLIES

Arlington Square, Battishill Street Gardens, Canonbury Square, Compton Terrace, Gibson Square, Lonsdale Square, Milner Square, Northampton Square, Penn Road Gardens, Percival Street, Percy Circus, St Silas Gardens, Thornhill Crescent Gardens, Wilmington Square