The East Dorset District Council is proposing a ban of dogs in open spaces in Ferndown, West Moors and Corfe Mullen

If you wish to be able to exercise your dog off lead in Ferndown, West Moors and Corfe Mullen you need to register your views urgently, before the end of September or you will find you will only be able to walk your dog on lead! To register your views you need to contact the council via e-mail address dogorders@eastdorset.gov.uk or in writing to East Dorset District Council, Public Health Services, Council Offices, Furzehill, Wimborne, Dorset. BH21 4HN. A few years ago similar proposals were made in Hamworthy and an action group to successfully challege the proposal so plese do make your views count! The reasons for these proposals appear to be the following:

  • Dog foul
  • Children's areas should be dog free
  • Use of sports pitches, dogs out of control and dog foul 

The order plans to prohibit dogs from enclosed childrens' areas which is totally understandable and is common sense.

The order plans to make the Ferndown fields, Corfe Mullen Rec and Fryers field in West Moors a dogs on lead area. Dogs will not be allowed to walk on the pitch areas. It is suggested that the heathland is a suitable area for dogs to walk. However, I can tell you that as a founder of the Slop Bog Guardians, the rangers are always trying to find ways to get heathland designated dog on lead or no dog areas. So, if we allow this to go ahead, we will find we cannot exercise our dogs off lead at all in Ferndown. There are plans also to ban dogs from the New Forest. If we make off lead spaces too small there is likely to be an increase in dog on dog aggression in public spaces which increases the likelihood of human injury.

The Animal Welfare Act (The Five freedoms) part 4 and 5 seems to be ignored as we should be allowing all animals to live free from stress and to perform natural behaviours! What is more natural than running off lead for a dog? Stress is caused if dogs are unable to play freely with other dogs and exercise adequately. It is not possiblew to exercise some breds adequately whilst on lead.

The Five Freedoms of animal welfare are as follows

  • Freedom from hunger and thirst
  • Freedom from thermal and physical discomfort
  • Freedom from pain, injury and disease
  • Freedom from fear and stress
  • Freedom to express normal behaviour

    We are asked to submit our comments or recommendation to the above addresses by the end of September 2009. PLEASE ACT, YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND THERE ARE PRECEDENTS!

    My suggestions are as follows:

    • Agree to the ban of dogs in enclosed children's areas
    • Agree to dogs on lead at times when the fields are in use by school children. Many children are afraid of dogs and school should be and feel a safe palce for them.
    • At all other times dogs should be allowed to be off lead and perform their natural behaviour repertoires as recommended in the amended Animal Welfare act.
    • Use the powers already in place to prosecute those whose dogs are behaving dangerously out of control. These powers exist but are not widely enforced.
    • Introduce dog licences to fund more dog wardens and to enable the owners of dogs to be more easily traced.
    • Use the powers already in place to prosecute those who do not pick up after their dog.
    • You can play your part by making sure there is no excuse for a ban and you do not let your dog off lead if they cannot be controlled.
    • You can also play your part by ensuring that you pick up after your dog. If you don't like picking up dog mess, just don't get a dog please!
    • You can do your part by making sure your dog is well behaved, it is easy to train most dogs and all dogs can be trained even if you think they cannot!
    • You can do your part by taking the car registration numbers of those who allow their dogs to foul without picking up, or who own aggressive or badly behaved dogs. There are laws in place to help with these problems, they can't be enforced without your help. Report these to your dog warden 01202 886201.

    I would like to see something done about the mess left behind by teenagers on the binge and the shattered glass, vomit and used condoms left out on the Ferndown pitches. This is surely a greater health hazard than dogs!

    PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE SURE YOUR VIEWS ARE HEARD. IT WILL NOT STOP HERE. IF WE ALLOW THIS TO GO AHEAD WE WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO LET OUR DOGS OFF LEAD IN ALL PUBLIC AREAS AND DOGS WILL BE MISERABLE. IF DOGS ARE MISERABLE THEY DEVELOP BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS AND CAN LEAD TO AGGRESSION. PLEASE DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN!

    I have attached my letter so you can see my arguments. Please feel free to copy it if you wish!

     

    Letter to EDDC re Dog Control Order

    THANK YOU.

    Denise