Dog Control Orders

[sue greenwood]

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Just out of curiosity how many of you have had a Dog Control Order put into place where you live? At the moment where i live they are looking at putting into place an order that makes it illegal to walk with your dog off the lead in a public place. I have always walked my dog off the lead in local parks and now i am being told this could all end and i will have no choice but to keep my dog on a lead. I have always kept them away from the public during school holidays and choose to take them onto the cow fields at the back of the park.If this comes into force my freedom will be gone.I must admit i am dissappointed.

There as also been a man pointing his phone into the faces of dogs to make them bark and this film is now on the Northwich Guardian site under videos. He his still doing this trying to make out all dogs are dangerous. If you get the oppurtunity to visit this site you will see the dog a springer spaniel is not dangerous but frightened it's owner is in a disabled buggy and she did say sorry for it barking. This as sparked off a debate about dangerous dogs and i am angry as this person is frightening dogs for his own ego.I know what will happen to his phone if he and his partner comes near me.It's surprising what a well heeled boot can do to a phone :rant:

What are your thoughts on these matters and if there are some legal eagles out there where do we stand?

 

[John E Greenwood]

http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/news/vi...ar.4039.0.0.php

Link to video of "dangerous dog"

 

[Seraphina]

It has been like that here in OZ for many years. Dogs are only allowed off the leash in designated area. How many designated areas are there depends on the local council. We are lucky here where I live that we have number of such parks here, as well as "dog beach". But I meet people inour parks who come here from neighboring shires, some driving 35km here and back.

Somebody should film that stupid man acting agressively and take it to the police, see if they can charge him with something.

 

[FeeFee]

I started a thread about this a little while back

http://www.k9community.co.uk/forums/index....topic=30659&hl=

I think it is very worrying - people and dogs have co-existed happily in our parks and countryside for centuries, suddenly dogs are being seen as 'dangerous'.

There has to be a consultation period before a council can impose this sort of restraint order, but as far as I know all the councils who have proposed these measures so far have managed to push them through successfully.

 

[Lolcoe]

As i said in another thread but adding that its not (well we havent) a ban of dogs off leads in all areas open to the public. In your local paper ther should be notices to specify where these bans take place. Or find out at the library :thumbsup:

Having just recently aquiring the post of dog warden for our council i know our councils policies and dog control orders and areas but all councils differ.

I think it all boils down to dog mess and families using parks etc. This has been in the pipeline for a long time and you have to look at both sides, i.e the parents whose children step in shite when they play. With the upsurge in dangerous uncontrolled dogs as well most councils are facing no option. We have orders in play areas (obviously) and some public walkways. There has been a lot of hassle from one woman in particular who still persists on taking her terrier into an enclosed play area, but undercover (well me taking the kids on these said swings) i witnessed her dog shite under the slide whilst she was pushing her grandaughter on a swing and didnt notice it so hence left it. Now i was all for saying to the council that some of these orders were a bit strong but now i totally agree with them.

What this fella is doing to the dogs is totally wrong and it is the council who have to 'catch' a dog off lead etc for anything to happen and even then like me i would just remind of the new rules and ask for the dog to be put back on the lead.

Ask to spend a day with a dog warden. You see the other sides (the baddies in the k9 world!!)

 

[foxway]

Just out of curiosity how many of you have had a Dog Control Order put into place where you live? At the moment where i live they are looking at putting into place an order that makes it illegal to walk with your dog off the lead in a public place. I have always walked my dog off the lead in local parks and now i am being told this could all end and i will have no choice but to keep my dog on a lead. I have always kept them away from the public during school holidays and choose to take them onto the cow fields at the back of the park.If this comes into force my freedom will be gone.I must admit i am dissappointed. There as also been a man pointing his phone into the faces of dogs to make them bark and this film is now on the Northwich Guardian site under videos. He his still doing this trying to make out all dogs are dangerous. If you get the oppurtunity to visit this site you will see the dog a springer spaniel is not dangerous but frightened it's owner is in a disabled buggy and she did say sorry for it barking. This as sparked off a debate about dangerous dogs and i am angry as this person is frightening dogs for his own ego.I know what will happen to his phone if he and his partner comes near me.It's surprising what a well heeled boot can do to a phone :rant:

What are your thoughts on these matters and if there are some legal eagles out there where do we stand?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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We were advised by the k.c to speak our views in our area as they were also going to imply this ban and also a ban on walking more than 3 dogs at one time! i have four so walkies would have meant two trips. I voiced my opion to the local office and they informed me that dogs would be allowed of the lead in dessignated areas including some beaches and that we would be allowed to walk as many dogs as we owned.

It is a shame that the recent events in the news with danerous dogs and incidents of biting children is affecting those who are responsible dog owners that train their dogs to be well mannered and sociable. I do think the ban is somewhat fair as in some areas near to us thier have been dogs roaming the streets with no collars leads ect that approach other peoples dogs and are not so sociable so i would rather this dog have a lead on than bite my dog, and i suppose the other dogs onwers would say well if mine has to wear a lead why doesnt any other dog ect (does that make any sense lol) :wacko:

 

[sue greenwood]

I can see the point of a dog on a lead in towns etc. I could also accept certain times of day where you cant let them off a lead in parks but all the time is too much. Surely we have some rights too.My dogs dont bother children and never have. I clear up behind my dog and i have clean up behind others too as have several people who walk their dogs in the same park as me. We shouldnt all be tarred with the same brush as the people who spoil it for others. I also think especially at the country park i use that the public who appear during the warmer months should be penalised for making a mess dropping litter,leaving barbeque food and debris behind and Drink cans on the floor.They smash bottles and never pick up the glass.They leave dirty nappies on the ground and other personal sexual objects.Surely this kind of behaviour is far worse for the environment than a few loose dogs. When this issue is addresses then i think they should talk to the dog walker.It's funny that during winter the park is clean but when the summer users comes along the park is a tip.Just come along after a hot bank holiday weekend.

 

[sue greenwood]

If we run our whippets on council owned land would that mean we will no longer be able to race on these grounds as we have to have loose dogs to do so?

 

[FeeFee]

I think the point is that there are already laws and local by-laws that cover things like dog mess, aggressive or out of control dogs and dogs left to roam the streets.

At the moment these existing laws aren't being enforced effectively - mainly because of lack of resources for people like dog wardens and park officers. It seems completely unfair that this failure to deal with irresponsible owners is being dealt with by imposing blanket bans on all dogs and dog owners.

I doubt these new restrictions will be any more successful than those that already exist - as usual law-abiding and responsible people will abide by them and the idiots will take no notice at all.

 

[Ann Glews]

I think it is so sad that the irresponsible owners spoil it for those who do not have dangerous loose dogs, who keep them under control, pick up their mess, walk them properly......... :rant:

It is always the same, we are all labelled with the idiots :angry:

I guess I am lucky as I can take Izzy off in to the countryside, all winter we are virtually alone! Some of you won't have the choice though and will be restricted to parks etc.

 

[Happy Humber]

What is the defanition of a public place? For instance would a bridleway be counted

or a farmers field where there was a public footpath crossing it?

 

[FeeFee]

It will only cover land which is owned/controlled by the local council, and each council is making their own decisions about precisely which public areas are subject to restrictions. In some it is only parks, others have included areas like common land and footpaths.

 

[kris]

i agree with a lot of what sue and fee fee have said.also id like to add if dog walkers are not allowed in local parks they will be taken over by druggies and louts so they wont be safe for people to take their children to anyway.yes there are some bad dog owners but if they blanket ban all dog owners i think it will make the parks a no go area for a lot of folk as most of the time youll meet a few people walking their dogs and can stop and have a chat.it makes dog walking and places to walk dogs a sociable thing to do.remove the dog walkers and what will you e left with?gangs of youths drinking and causing a nuisance.and how are you going to legislate against them?i think dog people ought to get together and support one another more and show their local councils that they are not a minority group and that they have voting power also and can vote these people out of office next time round!people power can achieve a lot,it just takes a bit of organising :thumbsup:

 

[sumo]

Here on the Isle of Man we have had a recent revision of dog laws in my local small town. All the dog owners were horrified that we would have to keep dogs on the lead inside the town boundary, on the (usually empty) beach, and in a rural park area where many dogs are exercised. Luckily the Town Commissioners have sensibly decided that as long as dogs are `under control` which does not necessarily mean on the lead, and that owners clean up after their dogs which responsible people do anyway, we can carry on with the freedom we enjoy. Of course it is a few unspeakable owners who let the side down, but there has been an increase in walkers scooping up.

I feel very sorry for those of you with less enlightened authorities.

 

[Lolcoe]

If we run our whippets on council owned land would that mean we will no longer be able to race on these grounds as we have to have loose dogs to do so?

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The land where we race on is a dog exclusion area but the Whippet Racing has special permission which annoys other people wanting to let their dogs off there. (and its on my patch!)

 

[Lolcoe]

I think the point is that there are already laws and local by-laws that cover things like dog mess, aggressive or out of control dogs and dogs left to roam the streets.
At the moment these existing laws aren't being enforced effectively - mainly because of lack of resources for people like dog wardens and park officers.  It seems completely unfair that this failure to deal with irresponsible owners is being dealt with by imposing blanket bans on all dogs and dog owners.

I doubt these new restrictions will be any more successful than those that already exist - as usual law-abiding and responsible people will abide by them and the idiots will take no notice at all.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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I agree with you there. There was once just 1 warden here covering a 50 mile radius but now theres 10 and a lot more seems to be getting done and welfare issues are high profile but with the dumping of litter and fly tipping added to the job description isnt it 2 steps forward 1 step back? and the main thing with councils is 'how long will these jobs be funded for?' I wouldnt say that dogs off leads has stopped, it wont but as long as a dog is under control i would turn a blind eye and deal with proper offenders. Why waste time and resources?

 

[Judy]

Do councils have to put signs up outside parks etc. where there are dog control notices in effect?

 

[Lolcoe]

Erm.....quoting from my job description.....................

the erection of signage and bins where appropriate

so i'd say yes. Our new rules come into force on the 1st June.

 

[Nicola]

At the risk of sounding rather churlish... if the ban comes into effect at our local park, then I'm not going to bother picking up bottles, fag packets, crisp packets, take away foil cartons, chip paper, carrier bags etc from aound the park like I usually do first thing Saturday/Sunday morning. :rant: I'm not the only early dog walker that picks rubbish up either.

Having said that I loathe the dog walkers that let their dogs foul near the kiddies play area (there are one or two) and I try and clear up what I see at the time too :x I don't blame parents and the non dog owning public for being fed up with the ignorant people that allow their dogs to foul in common areas of parks, but there are better solutions than an overall ban!

 

[Lolcoe]

If anyone has any issues regarding dog bans in their area i.e not sure on the state of play on what a particular councils rules are, let me know which council (town council if separate from county authortity) and i will do my best at work to find out for you.

This all seems a big mix up and a not well thought out bill that was brought in. The Clean Neighborhood Bill has given Environmental/Dog Wardens and councils more power to enforce fouling and littering but the general rule is that if your dog is banned from a certain area then there should be another area nearby that can be used. We are flexible but in a neighbouring council they have a strict rule on dogs on leads in the town which includes the town parks (i think). After our discussion this week we said that our rule would be that if a loose dog ban is in place then we just play it by ear and if the dog is under control then we let it be but if not we advise the owner to at least buy a very long lead so they can wander off but still be under some control.

It is totally up to your own authority in what they have in place but they do have a statutory duty of care to protect the neighborhood and its citizens.