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Dogs face ban from parks after attacks on children and wildlife
Katharine Barney29 Apr 2009
Dogs could be banned from some London parks to prevent them attacking people and wildlife.
Wandsworth council chiefs have unveiled plans to introduce the ban after complaints from park users that they have been injured and disturbed by dogs not under control.
The move comes two weeks after three children were attacked in York Gardens in Battersea by a bull terrier breed that had been let off its lead. All the children suffered bitemarks and the mother of one who tried to intervene needed surgery on her hand.
The council now wants to bar dogs from some parks and playgrounds. Owners would also be forced to keep dogs on a lead on any path or road in the borough. People would be banned from exercising more than four dogs at a time on the streets.
The scheme would be enforced by council officers and anyone caught flouting it could be liable for an £80 fine or a maximum of £1,000 in court.
The ban would affect more than 50 open spaces including some cemeteries and playgrounds. Parts of Battersea Park and Tooting Bec Common would be affected while it would apply to the whole of Garratt Green in Earlsfield, King George's Park in Southfields and York Gardens in Clapham.
The council's environment spokesman Malcolm Grimston said: "What is beyond doubt is the increasing public concern about the irresponsible behaviour of some dog owners. People and other dogs have been attacked and injured by dogs that have been allowed to run wild."
But a spokeswoman for charity People And Dogs Society said she did not think the measures were the answer.
Chairwoman of the society Debbie Waller said: "It's the first I've ever heard of dogs being banned from parks. I think the owner's behaviour should be targeted rather than a blanket ban which only serves to penalise responsible dog owners."
Last month a dog owner who let his Staffordshire bull terrier jump up and bite tree branches to strengthen its jaw was punished.
Paulo Poeire, 27, of Neasden, was fined £60 at South Western magistrates' court after being spotted by parks police in Battersea Park.
A consultation on the new rules runs until 8 May.
Reader views (44)
To all those dog owners who think that they are being 'responsible': Would you feel good about it if other dog owners made a habit of taking their dogs for a 'walk' (i.e to the w.c, frankly) in your garden, when you would presumably still want to use it? (Even if the dog owner 'clears up' somewhat afterwards) No, somehow I thought not... And yet most of us are denied the opportunity to enjoy our public spaces freely, without such concerns, in order to enable this abuse of our public spaces.
- C Clarke, Highgate, 12/11/2011 19:06
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Parks have always been spaces for people to walk their dogs, i have to deal with intolerent people sometimes when I walk mine, but deal with it the same way my dogs do; by ignoring them. My dogs are well trained and placid, even if attacked. A dog on a lead does not receive sufficient exercise, people who have trained there dogs properly should not be punished. For those who havent trained there dogs well, I would welcome intervention from the Parks Police, including fines and confiscations. What else do they do anyway?
- James, london, 12/10/2009 11:36
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Aggressive dogs should be shot and their owners fined. There should be no second chances.
- Michael, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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This is another example of an ill considered reation to a single incident by the HSE brigade. There are thousands of well mannered and well behaved dogs with responsible owners. Why should they be discriminated against. Dogs and other pets bring a lot of pleasure to their owners - some of whom are elderly and their pet may be their only company. The council should have a more open debate on the subject unless they wish to become the thought police.
- Johnathan, Wandsworth, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Age limit for owning or walking dogs should be 20.
License Fees to be £100 per year with exemption for pensioners
Limit 3 dogs per walker
- John, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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For the safety of the dog and the people all dogs should be walked on a lead and the owners should take plastic bags and "poop scoop". I did not realize how disgusting it was on British pathways until I moved to Canada where it is illegal to leave a mess.
- Chris Darling, Hubbards, Nova Scotia, Canada, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Why not just make it law for all dogs to be kept on a lead in public spaces at all times. They do it in other coutries why can't something so simple be implmented here?
- David, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I am not fully in favour of this but until the real offenders - the dog owners - show more consideration I will back it. In the recent past I have been attacked twice by dogs not on leads. The first time the owner and dog ran off whilst I had to seek medical attention (cleaning up of penetration wounds and anti-tetanus). On the second I kicked the dog before it bit me. The owner then started getting aggressive until I threatened to kick them as well!
- Michael Two, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Having seen dogs attack and harass people several times with the owners hollow "He's not dangerous really" I applaud the introduction of this ban.
It never ceases to amaze me how many people think it's not their dog that's the problem it's all those other dogs or “It’s not the dogs fault it's the owners”, that's like saying it's not the stereo's fault, when your banging on your neighbors door at 3 in the morning getting them to turn it down, ultimately the result is the same.
Dog owners seem to think that the rest of society should somehow tolerate the noise, mess and risk from their choice of dog ownership without complaint, aren’t we all terrible people for not wanting to walk through a pile of dog fesses or listen Rovers dulcet tones at all hours of the day and night.
- Paul W, Kensington, 12/10/2009 10:36
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There is no truth in the rumour that grass has been banned from growing in parks by the PC brigade (not yet anyway, get a life you do gooder clowns)
- Mike, London England, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Please please make this a national initiative. The fashion for bull terrier breeds makes a walk in the park quite a dangerous activity in London. The largely teenage owners raise these dogs not as pets but as fighting dogs. There are even regular dogfights in London parks. But even more dangerous than the dogs are the thugs who own them. To complain about a dog's behaviour could literally get you killed. I no longer take my children to the park. Did I mention that most dog owners see parks and open spaces as dog toilets?
- Bob, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Parks were meant for humans to walk in and enjoy.
They were not meant for dog’s toilets, or for them to run around killing ducks and squirrels, or attacking children or people.
There is nothing worse than a pile of dog poo, on lovely green grass.
- Mickyinlondon, london, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Seems like a massive over reaction to me.
Some teenagers form gangs and 'steam' -stab people and rob victims. Can we therefore lock up all teenagers on the basis that they might be gang serial muggers?
Bad owners are the problem here not bad dogs. People who have (the usual suspects) breeds who probably should not be allowed to have dogs. They may use them to gain so called 'respect' terrify people and for fighting/ protection whilst dealing drugs. Those are the 'owners' that you SHOULD be targetting. And they will laugh at the Parkie yelling 'oi no dogs in here'. Instead with a tedious inevitabilty this decision will really only hit pensioners and their poodles and the average law abiding owner. Surely no one will claim it's the toy poodles who are the real menace?
So the answer is IMO for dog ownership to be something you need to pass a test for. Hold a licence and FFS unlike most Nu Liebour 'scoff' laws REALLY enforce it.
I have two elderly ex racing greyhounds and am a responsblie owner and I resent being deprived of my freedom of movement like this.
- Ethan, UK, 12/10/2009 10:36
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To ban all dogs from Battersea Park would be a great shame, as most dogs are well behaved and their owners responsible people. As in the human race, there's good and bad and it is wrong to punish the good because of the bad. Dogs learn to socialise with other dogs in the park and is the only place to exercise a dog for many people who live in flats - especially pensioners who need a dog for company.
- Kathy Doyle, London - England, 12/10/2009 10:36
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How about banning feral kids from public places. They are a far greater menace than most dogs.
- Alan Preen, McLean, Texas, USA., 12/10/2009 10:36
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As a responsible owner and lifelong dog lover I find this very worrying. It is irresponsible owners who are at fault here, not the dogs who have obviously not had the benefit of decent training. You would not observe an unruly human child and declare it a bad child, would you? You would realise it was it's upbringing that was the problem, and it is exactly the same with dogs. I have reservations at the best of times at people keeping dogs in central London but if they are not allowed into the existing green spaces then they will have even less scope for burning off energy and getting fresh air. There has got to be a better solution to this problem. We are supposed to be a nation of animal lovers after all.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I don't see any children's bites requiring surgery. Dogs shouldn't be allowed off leads in public spaces. Spaces dedicated for dogs is a good idea.
- Tanya, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I have to disagree with Michael of London who says "Aggressive dogs should be shot and their owners fined."
Having seen a child bitten by a dog not on a lead I believe the dog and the owners should both be shot, and buried in the same hole.
- Jj, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I congratulate Wandsworth Council. Dogs should be allowed in parks BUT only in a very limited area and always on a lead. Sutton Council should take note. Rosehill Park is used as a giant dogs toilet with some people clearly making a business out of dog walking. You can often see older people with 4 or 5 dogs either running free or with some on or off their lead. Under no circumstances are they able to control them or clean up their mess after them. I forbid my young children to use the park because of the mess everywhere.
- Paul, LB Sutton, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Nice to see the anti dog brigade piling in with the usual rubbish,ban,shoot,arrest,prison etc etc.Its every responsible persons right to share their life with a dog.How many people get so much pleasure and companionship from living with a canine?I feel an undercurrent on this forum from dog haters who want dogs banned at any cost simply because they don't like them.Maybe if they had a chance to socialise with dogs when they where younger they may appreciate just how much joy a dog provide.oh well its there loss and if you seriously think dogs will be banned well think again.I fully expect the RSCPCA ,Kennel Club,Dogs Trust and countless other organisation to mobilise there millions of members to protest to any draconian bans.After the 1991 dangerous dogs proved to be impossible to enforce due to ignorance of the powers that be and the fact 90% of the Police force in the UK could not even point out any of the banned breeds.I agree there should be more restrictions on dog ownership such as some form of licence at least.
- Matt, Streatham,London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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You need" off leash" Parks,and Parks that your dog has to be leashed, 'dog waste bags' provided, and all owners should pick up. We have this system in Vancouver, and it works.. most of the time. Owners need to take responsibility for their pets. Vancouver 4th in the world, for best place to live.
- Sami, Vancouver, Canada, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Unfortunately, the nicest dog can fall into the hands of a ghastly human owner-the sort who allows his or her offspring to attack schoolteachers without parental objection...so it is inevitable that dogs attack innocent people in parks, etc. Therefore, until owners become more aware of civic responsibility, dogs must be banned from selected areas.
- Jon Kent, Hertford. UK, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Your caption picture enforces the point of dogs not being under control. Here you have, what appears to be, an elderly man looking after at least 6 dogs. How can he possibly control them, nevermind clean up their mess. No one should be allowed to exercise more than two dogs at a time in a public park.
- Pat, South London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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The problem of dogs chasing wildlife or children is down to the current climate of selfishness, people thinking they can do whatever they want - including not controlling their animals in public - to the detriment of other people's enjoyment. ALL dogs other than the smallest toy varities need between 1-2 hours off-lead exercise every day and if they are not getting that then you are going to get problems with pent-up energy resulting in aggression, etc. It is nothing short of cruel to suggest dogs be kept on the lead all the time.
- D Woodstock, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Will we also ban drug dealers/pushers hooligan kids and hoodies who intimadate kids just wanting to play, or is that to tough for the authorities to police?
- Brian, Wiltshire, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I think it is a bit harsh to ban all dogs because of the action of one! However I heartily agree that dog owners should clean up after them - I always did when I had a dog and they should certainly be controlled around children. Howabout an area where dogs can't go - they do need exercise afterall, and overall people make much, much more mess than dogs!
- Sally Brooks, uk, 12/10/2009 10:36
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It's time that drastic laws against dog owners were introduced. A minority spoil it for all the others, who do nothing to control their own number. Too many attacks, too much dog mess.
- John, Wandsworth, 12/10/2009 10:36
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It will be a shame if all these open spaces become no-go areas for dogs. Where will Battersea Dogs Home exercise their rescue dogs if not Battersea Park? I am hoping to own a dog one day when I retire, but if there's going to be nowhere to exercise it, what's the point? More dogs for the RSPCA and animal shelters then.
- Yvonne, Doncaster, UK, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Come on - we all know that the vast majority of problem dogs are 'staff' and pitbull types owned by hoodies who just have them so they can look hard and show off to their mates. Having observed the behaviour of dog owners in my local park, it's largely the hooded teenage owners who don't clear up their dogs' mess and who are to be seen 'playing' with their dogs by making them jump up to bite a big stick, or 'exercising' them off the lead among the toddlers on trikes. Why not bring in a minimum age for both owning a dog and walking one in public? Owners would have to apply for a dog licence which they should carry with them at all times and if they were unable to produce this to police, then the dog would be confiscated. We shouldn't be punishing the many because of the bad behaviour of the few.
- Lindsay, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Sounds like a huge over reaction. This effectively makes it cruel to own a dog in boroughs which have brought in rules like this. Dogs need space to run and play and for many, the local park is the only place they can let their dog off the lead. Where are dog owners supposed to take their dogs?
- Mcw, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Michael: Should we do the same to aggressive teenagers as well?
I am the owner of two dogs and they are a lot easier to control than most of the kids I see
- Lee, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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We have all been subjected to this, my wife was walking home recently in daylight along a canal near the center of Birmingham, often a very pleasant setting. An untethered pit bull approached her, its owner stating "Oh don't worry, he loves people he wont bite". She was very nervous and loves dogs actually. This man broke the law, period, but there is no way to deal with him. If she challenged him he might get nasty or his dog might. Someone, a cop even, please tell me what action should a person take when they encounter this, other than clamming up and briskly making an exit?
- Hugh, Birmingham, UK, 12/10/2009 10:36
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You can't be too careful near dogs. Until there is a 99.99% chance that you know you won't be bitten or slobbered on or jumped on, ALL dogs need to be restrained, and there needs to be more supervision of owners in public.
- Jealous, Sutton, 12/10/2009 10:36
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As others have said, there are some who choose certain breeds for all the wrong reasons. The majority of dog owners are responsible. To ban dogs from all parks would be very wrong. I live near Battersea Park and have met several people there because of their well-behaved dogs. Like Yvonn, Doncaster, when I retire, I hope to have a dog, but if Wandsworth bring in these rules, I will have to leave London. I feel strongly tempted to stop paying them my council tax in the meantime and will be writing to them to complain.
- Lo, Battersea, Wandsworth, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Paul W - you've seen dogs attack and harass people several times? Wow, do you live in a park? Or is your idea of a dog "attacking" someone just maybe the dog running up to them in an exuberantly friendly manner? Like some of the others posting here, I suspect the problem lies in your rather obvious dog phobia. Maybe you should consider getting some kind of treatment rather than blaming an innocent animal for what might actually be a neurotic problem? Just a thought.
- M Farbiash, Highgate, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Hi,
I am a mum and I have been myslef attacked by "nice frienddly dogs that would never have wounded anyone". Any time I see dogs running freely and being excited by its owner when we are nearby a children playgorund area, I feel that there is something wrong with it. There should be places where you know that your kids can walk free, where the dogs are banned or at least kept on leash. As well as there should be places for dogs and their owners where they could go and spend a nice time.
In the park near my home, the dogs have to be "kept under control". But many dogs are running freely. It seemms that there is a different interpretation between dog owner and parents on that. Dogs owners keep telling me that their dog is nice and used to children. I do not accept this as an excuse. They are still animals and can have uncontreolled reactions. I do not want to take the risk for my kids. On top of this I am really really upset because the other park, on the other side has no play ground area...
Each time I feel that the owner's behaviour is a provocation.
- Charline, Bermondsey, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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In Helsinki there are special areas in parks for letting dogs loose. It would be a good idea here.
I never see other dog owners doing anything about the irresponsible few, so they all get tarred with the same brush. Owners should assume that people don't want their little Fido jumping up at people until so invited.
- Martin H. Watson, Teddington, 12/10/2009 10:36
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We have leash free runs here but some arrogant dog owners still don't take them there - they let them roam in the children's park (some 20 yards away). Good on Wandsworth Council for taking this initiative. I for one am fed up seeing loose dogs on streets and in children's play areas.
- Barbara, Sydney, Australia, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Ban ALL dogs from All Locations - simple
- Janice, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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A man and his dog, the family pet are part of our culture in this country. Dog haters are now kicking in with their health and safety warnings ! However, people do far more damage in our parks than dogs. Battersea Park is regularly subjected to vandalism. I walk my dogs there every day, I pick up after them and they are well behaved. Parks Police need to get their act together, be more visible in cars, on foot and on bikes - too often no reponse from them. If they take action, make examples of those bad owners and ensure it is published locally, the situation will improve. To do nothing as they have done for years has allowed this problem to grow into an epidemic. I consider all park users and I expect them to consider me and my dogs in return. Dogs should not be banned from parks, just deal with the miscreants and dont punish the innocent many.
- Anita Jackson, Battersea, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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I agree with banning dog walkers. If you're too busy or lazy to walk your own dog you shouldn't have one. Simple.
- Mark, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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Few owners seem capable of keeping a dog under control unless it is on a lead. Plenty of people don't want dogs coming up to them and sniffing, likcing, jumping, biting at their food. All dogs should be kept on leads except in designated areas.
- Stephen, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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My name is Anneka Svenska and I am a wolf handler and a TV wildlife presenter.
I walk my four large breed dogs in Battersea Park and do not want to see this law passed, as it will make it impossible for me to walk my dogs anymore. They are all large breeds, very safe and walk with my small 2 year old. They have to go off lead as I cannot hold four on a lead and also my child's hand.
I do feel though that specific breeds needs to be looked into. It is annoying that the incompetence of dog keepers of mastiff and fighting dog breeds have resulted in all dog breeds suffering. I do believe that the dangerous breeds needs to be targeted and addressed rather than targeting everyone.
I do however agree with the law to keep all dogs on leashes on the pavements.....more for the dogs safety than anyone elses.
- Anneka Svenska, London, 12/10/2009 10:36
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i am a dog owner and i thought it was law to keep your dog on a lead when out in public also to pick up any mess your dog makes. i have trained my dog to sit when i stop to talk to someone but when i go out with my dog all i see are people with thier dogs off the lead. i think its time to bring back the dog licence.
- Frances, ealing, 12/10/2009 10:36
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