Dogs are a hazard on beach

THE new Sefton Council initiative to control dogs and dog owners is welcomed, but does it go far enough?

For those of us who are not dog lovers (or haters), the free run that dogs have on Ainsdale Beach constitutes at the very least a nuisance, is antisocial and occasionally presents a real hazard to beach users.

For us, the beach provides a year round place to fill our lungs with fresh sea air, to walk, run and enjoy the wonderful panorama spanning from Liverpool through North Wales and on to Blackpool and the Lake District.

We visit the beach several times a week and there is no doubt that it is a big factor in our general health and well-being and this must be so for the bulk of beach users.

A minority group use the beach to exercise their dogs, many of which are off the lead and allowed to run free.

Most of these dogs are not under proper control and sometimes bound and leap at a walker or runner.

For anyone of a slightly timid nature, to suddenly find a large dog homing in on them is frightening.

Personally we have been attacked several times by such dogs, have been overbalanced by the larger varieties, and on one occasion suffered scratches to the leg.

When challenged, the owners’ invariable response is to be either abusive or to point out that their dog is “only being friendly’”

They have no perception of the distress they and their dog’s behaviour can cause.

Also, professional “dog minders” are using our beach to conduct their business.

Typically, a single person will bring up to a dozen dogs onto the beach in a van.

These dogs will then be let out of the van to run freely on the beach.

It is obvious that such a pack of dogs cannot be controlled.

When this happens, we move well away.

We have raised our concerns with the beach wardens. They are sympathetic and tell us that dogs must be kept under control at all times.

However they do not have the resource to police this.

Other beaches around the country are better organised, with the more enlightened authorities providing a restricted area where dogs can be exercised, so that the main areas of the beach can be enjoyed safely.

We have the bizarre situation on Ainsdale beach where the car park section is the only part of the beach where dogs are to be kept on a lead (not enforced).

The rest of the beach is free to leadless dogs.

This means that if beach users want to be safe from roaming dogs they are effectively penned into the car park!

Surely it is dogs, not people, that should be penned.

Also it is worth noting that this problem is recognised internationally.

For example, in the USA and Australia the authorities provide fenced-off plots in towns, parks and beaches where dog owners can let their pets off the lead, leaving the public spaces safer.

Let’s hope our council is enlightened enough to follow their lead. Two concerned residents Ainsdale

PRAISE FOR OUR A&E

ON TUESDAY, April 11, I was visiting Southport with my daughter when I became quite ill and was finding it increasingly difficult to breathe.

Upon inquiring at Boots Pharmacy we were advised that Southport A&E was the nearest place for help.

We went there by taxi and I was treated there promptly and efficiently. I had suffered from an extreme allergic reaction and was treated accordingly.

I cannot praise enough the doc