Control dogs in the park

Regarding the rats in Barnes Park, they aren’t the biggest problem.

The place is overrun with dogs.

Lots of them are off leads and many of them are on extendable leads, which makes it even harder for owners to control them.

Some of these dogs are plain nuisances, bounding up to people, jumping up, purring their dirty paws on them, or even licking them.

Not everyone wants to ‘share’ dogs – we just want a quiet, health and safe walk in the park.

Some dogs in the park are aggressive towards other dogs and, worse still, towards people.

Children and adults should not have to put up with them.

The park is badly designed. All the children’s areas should be fenced off with gates to deter dogs from going in. It is not just the attack risk, it is a hygiene risk.

People don’t need dog poo, or germs, or the possibility of fleas in the playing area, especially in the sand.

Dog owners are becoming even more bold in the park. Men and women now take their dogs to the tennis and basket ball courts to exercise them.

These courts were never meant for animals.

Also, any broken bolts should be repaired so that any dogs are kept out when they are in use or in between use.

Perhaps there should be signs saying that dog are not allowed in the courts.

A park this size needs a strict warden (or two).

I’ve read that Backhouse Park is a no go area.

It would be nice if we had some parks in which dogs were totally banned.

I hope that the police have caught the Akitatype dog who attacked two women in the Tunstall Bank area of Ryhope and traced its owner. Name withheld