Forbidding dogs off leads is cruel
I READ the report in last week’s News Telegraph, about the proposed changes to what we can and cannot do in our local open spaces with increasing incredulity, concern and anger.
Hasn’t DDDC heard of the old saying “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”?
It appears that it is possible that I will be able to drive on to a local beauty spot, have a barbecue and many drinks with lots of friends but not let my dogs run and play and have exercise which they legally required to have!
Having a “rule” may, quite reasonably, simply be a statement of what is considered unacceptable or undesirable behaviour and needn’t require “enforcing” in order to promote it.
Will our council tax money be used in future to pay for work to clear up litter after barbecues/ fire parties, replant grassy areas or trees destroyed, repair damage by cars driven on to local open spaces which were never designed to take vehicles?
Why on earth is council time, money and energy being wasted on making “issues” about topics that are not issues?
The Animal Welfare Act of
2006 (section 9), places a duty of care on people to ensure they take reasonable steps in all circumstances to meet the welfare needs of their animals to the extent required by good practice.
The Code of Practice which provides practical guidance to enable people to comply with the Act specifically states that an owner should provide for a dogs natural needs … “A dog needs regular exercise and regular opportunities to walk, run, explore, play, sniff and investigate.“This cannot be achieved while on a lead!
So all dog owners will be breaking the law if they want to run their dogs off lead in the town (not everyone has a car to go further afield or they may be elderly/disabled and the town centre is all that is within their range for walking).
I have to ask how DDDC plan to “enforce” the ‘on lead at all times’ rule?
ALL residents pay for the provision, upkeep and access to open spaces in the district and it is totally unacceptable, and cruel, to forbid the many people who contribute to these open spaces, from letting their animals have the opportunity to run, play and socialise in the only two public spaces in the town.
Perhaps DDDC will inform us of the basis that forms its “dogs on leads at all times” proposal?
Siobhan Burton Springfield Avenue