Council bans dogs from parks leaving owners wondering where to go 'walkies'

 

 

By Daily Mail Reporter

Last updated at 10:31 AM on 14th April 2010

 

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Restrictions: welfare groups fear dog control orders will unfairly disadvantage elderly and disabled pet owners

 

A council has banned dogs from almost all of its park areas, saying owners will have nowhere to walk their pets.

 

Newark and Sherwood District Council in Nottinghamshire has put dog control orders (DCOs) in 72 park areas to make sure people look after their pets in public places.

 

The orders ban dogs completely from play areas, fields and open spaces - and council officers, park rangers and police community support officers can issue on-the-spot fines of £75 for breaches of the orders.

But today the Dogs Trust said the orders were too extreme.

 

Dogs Trust chief executive Clarissa Baldwin said: 'A total ban on all dogs is a complete overreaction to the problem of a small minority of owners failing to clean up after their pets.

 

'It is a requirement of the Animal Welfare Act that dogs are allowed to express their natural behaviour, which includes free exercise.'

 

She said they were concerned the elderly, disabled or those on low incomes would struggle to travel to other areas to exercise their pets.

The Kennel Club also added its weight to the criticism. Communications director Caroline Kisko said: 'Dog control orders are becoming more common as councils attempt to find ways to control dog fouling and reign in irresponsible dog owners.

 

'While the Kennel Club does not object to the council's less severe orders of imposing fines for dog walkers who do not pick up after their dogs, and introducing "dogs on lead by direction" orders, we feel that the exclusion zones are far too restrictive.

 

'Frequently, as with Newark and Sherwood, public consultations come and go without the majority of the public knowing about them or having a chance to have their say.

 

'Unfortunately, this often means responsible dog owners are also penalised and have to suffer restrictions.'

 

But Newark and Sherwood council said owners were still free to walk their dogs in many areas, just not in those where orders were in place.

 

Environment manager Alan Batty said: 'Newark and Sherwood District Council is among several hundred councils across the country to have introduced dog control orders in order to keep open spaces in the area free of dog mess.

 

'The vast majority of the orders ban dogs from fenced-off children's play areas - they do not ban dogs from the council's four Green Flag Award-winning parks which are popular with dog walkers, or from the vast majority of open space in the district.

 

'The handful of village playing fields which are now subject to exclusion orders were included at the request of the various parish councils who felt such action was needed as dog fouling had become a serious problem in those localities.

 

'The council takes its responsibility seriously to work with local communities to keep children's play areas free of dog mess and its open spaces clean and green.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1265880/Dogs-Trust-Kennel-Club-angry-Newark-Sherwood-council-banning-dogs-parks.html#ixzz0l5R18MN1

Britain should just get it over with and ban "unpleasantness". Make the penalty life in prison.