Yet another anti-dog measure
Detail:
Has the world gone completely loopy mad? Dog owners in Tameside, Greater Manchester, who walk their dogs on leads longer than two metres (6ft 5in) in dozens of parks and open spaces can now be fined up to £1,000. Yes, you read right – £1,000! Bear in mind that many retractable leads are between five and eight metres in length.
The rationale? Apparently dog owners who walk their dogs on shorter leashes are more likely to clear up if their dog fouls than those on longer leads.
Talk about non sequitur logic. That’s like saying, football louts are invariably drunk on beer when up to their usual yobbish, destructive behaviour, so we should ban all sales of beer during the World Cup. It just does not work.
Tameside council justified their move, saying the changes will make green spaces ‘more enjoyable’. The measure has been imposed by the council in Ashton-under-Lyne and neighbouring towns under a dog control order.
Needless to say, charities and pressure groups have loudly ridiculed the move, questioning how wardens will police the ban.
Kennel Club spokeswoman Caroline Kisko called the move ‘arbitrary and unnecessary, ineffective and extremely difficult to enforce’.
With more and more local councils jumping on the bandwagon and banning dogs from parks, beaches and open spaces, let’s just hope this latest move doesn’t catch on.
In the meantime, retailers in the Greater Manchester area would be well advised to remind customers buying retractable leads of this latest regulation. And with nationwide complaints of dog fouling on the rise, perhaps more prominent in-store displays of products to help owners pick up after their dogs would be a good idea.
The rationale? Apparently dog owners who walk their dogs on shorter leashes are more likely to clear up if their dog fouls than those on longer leads.
Talk about non sequitur logic. That’s like saying, football louts are invariably drunk on beer when up to their usual yobbish, destructive behaviour, so we should ban all sales of beer during the World Cup. It just does not work.
Tameside council justified their move, saying the changes will make green spaces ‘more enjoyable’. The measure has been imposed by the council in Ashton-under-Lyne and neighbouring towns under a dog control order.
Needless to say, charities and pressure groups have loudly ridiculed the move, questioning how wardens will police the ban.
Kennel Club spokeswoman Caroline Kisko called the move ‘arbitrary and unnecessary, ineffective and extremely difficult to enforce’.
With more and more local councils jumping on the bandwagon and banning dogs from parks, beaches and open spaces, let’s just hope this latest move doesn’t catch on.
In the meantime, retailers in the Greater Manchester area would be well advised to remind customers buying retractable leads of this latest regulation. And with nationwide complaints of dog fouling on the rise, perhaps more prominent in-store displays of products to help owners pick up after their dogs would be a good idea.
By:
Sandra
Date/time :
14/06/2010
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