Petting the New Forest ponies could land you with £1,000 fine
Visitors to the New Forest could face fines of up to £1,000 for petting ponies and other animals living in the national park and for setting camp fires and barbecues.
New Forest District Council has approved the tough new measures and restrictions which are aimed at reducing anti-social be - haviour in the Hampshire beauty spot.
The new rules banning the petting and feeding of animals has been created out of concern for the amimals’ well-being and to help prevent them from becoming aggressive.
One member of the public who responded to a survey on the proposals wrote: ‘Ponies and donkeys that have been fed by members of the public (are) becoming more aggressive in seeking food from people because they become conditioned to expect feeding.’
On the risk of fires in the forest, another person wrote: ‘I am extremely concerned about the likelihood of a heath fire causing terrible damage and danger to animals including the wildlife.
‘With a great deal of our ancient woodland no longer cleared, the forest floor is strewn with timber that would. if ignited, effectively act like a bonfire and might prove very difficult to extinguish.
‘The effects would obviously be extremely devastating to the ecolog y of the area.’
Breaching the Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), which are to come into force from July 1, could lead to a fixed-penalty notice of £100 or in extreme cases even lead to a criminal prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.
A spokesman for the local authority said: ‘ Although the vast majority of people enjoying the forest do so with due regard to the New Forest Code, by making these PSPOs, the council expect a reduction in the kind of anti-social behaviour commonly associated with wildfires and barbecues on the forest, and the feeding and petting of Forest animals, all of which are detrimental to the local community.
‘Formal enforcement will be used proportionately, and there will be infor - mation issued about these new restrictions and clear signage will be in place.’