BillyMalc Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/6366293.stm Fines for dogs off leads in parks Irish setter dog Dogs will be banned completely from play areas Dog owners could be fined £80 for letting their pets off leads in public parks in Manchester. The city council wants to stop dogs running loose completely in some parks, and in selected areas in others. They include parts of Heaton Park - one of the largest municipal parks in Europe, Ardwick Green Park, Beech Road park in Chorlton and Sackville Street. The council says the ban will help tackle dog fouling and the problem of stray dogs. As part of the proposals, fines for dog fouling will also be increased from £50 to £80. 'Real problem' Dogs will be excluded from play areas, sports grounds and cemeteries and there will be a limit on the number of dogs people can take on public land. More than 90 parks and public areas will be affected by the ban. Councillor Paul Murphy, executive member for Direct Services, said: "We know that we need to take further steps to control dogs as all the feedback that we get from talking to residents has identified dog fouling and stray dogs as a real problem. "Most dog owners in the city are considerate and responsible but as always a minority do not care and it is this minority that we want to tackle with these new proposals." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teddmus Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 Heard this on the news yesterday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samantha_r Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I like the bit where he says they are tackling the minority. These bans will affect everyone and I can't see how being on lead will be an incentive for those who don't pick up their dogs poo to suddenly start doing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jakeysmum Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 These measures will not tackle either problem. Stray dogs are stray dogs, their owners often don't know or in some cases care where they are straying. Dog fouling is a huge problem in some places and irresponsible owners still won't pick it up, dog on the lead or not. Once again responsible owners and well behaved dogs are penalised x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernie Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I saw this too and personally although it certainly won't solve any problems I tend to agree that dogs should not be running loose in childrens play areas. My local park doesn't allow it though the rest of the area is OK for dogs to be off lead. I do know of several places where they have a dog exercise area and responsible owners do go along with it but you'll always get some who don't. Where I live it is actually £1000 fine for letting your dog foul and not removing the evidence but still many ignore things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nettie Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I can understand that dogs shouldn't be allowed in children's play areas, I wouldn't let mine go in them anyway. Here in Wandsworth children's play areas are fenced, to keep dogs out and children in I suppose so it really isn't an issue. There is one field in the local park that dogs are not allowed but that's not really an issue although I do look at it longingly because its securely fenced in and would be a wonderful area for my 0 recall dog to have a run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LurcherGirl Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 How will it tackle fouling? Do they really think that a lead stops a dog from poing? Quite the opposite, they will do it just a bit closer to the path as they can't go far. And stray dogs... they are not the ones that people keep under control anyway... if a dog escapes by accident, then that won't make a difference and if an owner lets them stray, they sure won't care about the law... Vera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rachelpirate Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I agree with the part about playgrounds... there's really no need for a dog to be running around in a playgroud as you never know how kids/parents are going to react. But the rest is rubbish. It's alright for me as I live in a rural area with farmland all round but I know some people for whom the local park is the only place close by they can take their dog off lead. And in my veiw, apart from a few exception for safety etc, no dog should be made to stay on a lead all the time. They need time to run. It seems like every day they bring in some new, bizarre idea to restrict dogs. At this rate we won't even be allowed out of our houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merledogs Posted February 16, 2007 Report Share Posted February 16, 2007 I agree that dogs shouldn't be allowed in playgrounds but all the parks round here have playgrounds fenced in. Heaton Park is a huge area and there are loads of people who take their dogs there. I was even thinking of moving closer to it next time I move so that I could take the dogs there. Once again responsible dog owners are being punished for the morons who this law won't even affect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GSDFan Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 MMmmmmmm - I suppose the stray dogs are going to read the signs that say 'No Dogs Except on Leads' and stay away are they Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kimthecat Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Oh no, this is absurded. If that idiot councillor thinks that people will pick their dogs poo up because they're on leads should come down here and see the piles of dog crap on the pavements. GSDfan , Alison Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greys mum Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 Unless all the dogs in Manchester can read, it isn't going to solve the problem. It always seem to be the "crack a nut with a sledgehammer" kind of response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kittycat Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 WTF, this has to be a joke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurel n Hardy Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 (edited) missed that story if it was in the M.E.N. don't use heaton park as it's the other side of town to me and I have the cheshire countryside to wander through Can anyone tell me how this is going to be policed. Are the Police going to enforce this or a council appointed person(s). If the latter how do they go about fining a responsible dog owner with a dog off lead and a good recall, it's not like issuing a parking ticket is it. Can you imagine it, "your dogs off the lead, I'm going to fine you, whats your name and where do you live" My name is Smith and it's none of your effing business where i live" whistle whistle, dog returns and said person walks away yet another ill thought out rule made by people who have to do something to pass the time of day in their ivory tower. Edited February 17, 2007 by Laurel n Hardy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cindere528 Posted February 17, 2007 Report Share Posted February 17, 2007 As I see it, they are admitting that the biggest problem is with strays and irresponsible owners, right? So how are they going to stop strays from going in the parks, are they going to teach them to read? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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