Dog parks idea studied
A COUNCIL is to explore allocating areas where dog owners can securely exercise their pets, following a request from a councillor.
Last year Redcar and Cleveland Council renewed existing dog control powers in force within the borough for another three years as part of a public spaces protection order.
The order means dog walkers must keep their pet on a lead when in a number of formal parks and gardens.
There is also a continued ban on allowing dogs to enter parts of the beach in Redcar and Saltburn between May 1 and September 30.
Councillor Carrie Richardson said the requirements had diverted dog walkers with some encroaching into smaller children’s play areas, those that are fenced off also being covered by the order.
It comes at the same time as heightened concern over dog attacks over the borough.
Cllr Richardson also said there had been an unwelcome increase in dog fouling in her Newcomen ward.
She said dog parks with segregated areas for small and large dogs were a “firm favourite in many other countries”, allowing for proper social interaction and training, and could also be hired out for private use.
Former cabinet member Cliff Foggo, speaking before stepping down prior to local elections earlier this month, told Cllr Richardson the council would “commit to scoping the feasibility of such a scheme”.
He said the council recognised the control of dogs in public spaces by dog walkers as an “emerging issue” in the last few years and one that required a “robust” enforcement response.
However Mr Foggo said the local authority’s approach “remained a cautious one” and aimed to strike a balance between the need to tackle uncontrolled dogs and dog fouling against the desire and entitlement of people to use a public space.
Cllr Richardson said businesses in Redcar’s Locke Park had suffered as a result of the ‘dogs on leads’ regulation and said the old Sacred Heart field close to the park could be used for one of the proposed secure areas, which could benefit the park businesses as well. She said: “We do have a huge problem, rescue [shelters] are full and attacks are on the increase as well. This would be something proactive and very cheap.
“It would be rentable as we have a lot of [dog] trainers in the area who are unable to rent outside areas on which to conduct socialisation training.”
Mr Foggo pledged the council would look at all issues as part of any feasibility study to be carried out.