Let the dogs run free

[TribalRats]

By Emily Walker
Comment | Read Comments (2)

DOG owners worried about the health of their pets have said they are against proposals to force them to stay on leads.

Last week, Swindon councillor David Glaholm called for all dogs to be kept on leashes to prevent attacks on children.

Coun Glaholm (Lab, Penhill) proposed dogs should only be allowed to run free in fenced-off parts of the town's parks.
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In an Adver poll, 58 per cent of readers did not want dogs to be restricted to leads in the town's public places and 42 per cent said the ban should be introduced. Almost 1,000 voted.

Dog-lovers walking their four-legged friends in Lawn yesterday said they would not want to see a ban.

Beryl and Victor Tucker have had Welsh spaniel Benji for 12 years.

Mrs Tucker said: "I have never seen any aggressive dogs around here and 95 per cent of owners are completely responsible.

"Even when there have been children around there has never been an incident.

"Dogs need to run around to keep healthy."

Labrador owner Raymond Ash, from Gorse Hill said: "Obviously the people who have come up with this don't have dogs or have had a bad experience with them.

"Maybe they should be the ones on a lead.

"If your keep dogs tied up all the time then they will just get more frustrated."

Chris George, 23, of Old Town, who owns Staffordshire bull terrier, Magni, said fear of the species was unjustified.

"He is completely harmless, even with my baby nephew.

"If an owner has proper control of their dog, then there is no reason why they shouldn't behave.

"I don't think they should introduce a blanket ban. It is unfair to punish innocent dogs."

Coun Glaholm said he had received several letters about the issue.

He said: "My concern is that if we allow dogs to run around off leads, and if a dog then bites a child, are the parents then likely to sue the council?

"You see people let their dogs run around in parks, but sometimes they don't respond to their master's voice when called back.

"People think that is funny, but it is not if the dog then attacks a child. My wife is petrified of dogs and when you see how somebody can react when a dog comes close to them it really show you the effect they can have."

The UK's governing body for dogs, the Kennel Club, even wrote to Coun Glaholm, and said the ban would harm the animals.

The letter said: "Introducing an order for dog owners to keep dogs on leads in parks could have serious implications for animal welfare, human health and the environment.

"This is because many dogs require vigorous exercise and their health, weight and behaviour could be compromised if they are not able to exercise off lead.

"This would be contrary to the principles of the Animal Welfare Act.

"It would be more reasonable of the council to exclude dogs from designated children's play areas rather than order owners to keep them on leads in large areas of parks that should be open to everyone."

The matter will be discussed at council meeting on Thursday.

Coun Glaholm said it may not be discussed until the cost of putting up fences in parks to segregate for dog-walkers had been investigated further. He added that he hoped it would be sent to the council's cabinet, so members of the public would have a chance to comment.

[rmci]

There are leash laws where I live and I agree they need to be in effect.

[SmilingDogs]

Call me paranoid, but my folks laugh at me when I walk around with a leash to bring my doglet from the yard to the front door (he hates our steeper back steps right now, although there's only 5 little ones LOL). He's really good, but especially duing the day, just too afraid of even a rabbit or squirrel runnng across the lawn & into the street :>)
Yay! for the leash :>) :>)

[Ritz459]

While I agree that dog parks and dog friendly beaches are a great place for dogs to have some off-leash fun, I'll also think that public places need to have a leash law. What if someone is allergic to dogs, is afraid of dogs, a playful pup jumps on them and knocks them down? What if some random stranger comes up and hurts your free running dog? What if some nutcase comes along and lets their dog aggresive dog run loose, saying that he is only playing?

I live out in the country where there are no leash laws, and my dogs are always leashed when we leave our yard. There are just to many things that could happen to them if they weren't leashed.

[Doglover1988]

My dogs go on leashes when we go places but not at home. They are very good about coming when called and staying on our 5 acre property. Gracie doesn't need a leash at all she walks right beside me where ever we go and she has a terrific recall I still use a leash for her though.

[Beryl]

I believe in leash laws because leashes prevent many dogs from being harmed.

Friday, took my min pin to Whole Pets -- a local pet supply store. I used a lead that wrapped around my shoulders so he could not stray more than 6 inches from my body.

Several other dogs at the store were wandering free. My min pin's crazy antics caused them to approach with curiosity. Some of the owners quickly grabbed and leashed their dogs once they saw what was happening. If they had not, my dog could have provoked an altercation with one of the well-trained dogs in the store.

[Rivsky]

Here in South Australia I think they've got some good laws regarding dogs and leashes - the only problem is every area has their own variation on it so it's not consistent but all areas are well sign posted with what their "rules" are.

But basically there are parks that are designated as "off lead dog exercise areas" - some are like this at all times but most are between a certain time period such as from 5pm until 10:00am. This way people who are scared of or don't like dogs still have the option of using park facilities. Equally so there are some parks (admittedly not many) where dogs are allowed on lead only, even fewer still ban them altogether. In most cases were there's a children's playground dogs are not permitted within 10 metres of the area (on or off lead).

Only down side is it's really, really poorly policed.

[ginastags2315]

I agree that there should be leash laws for the dog's safety. There's a family down the street from me that had 3 golden retrievers and 2 of them got hit by cars because their yard isn't fenced in. There aren't any dog parks where I live so I take my dogs to the park at an elementary school. I let Muffin and Abbey off the leash... they always come back when I call them, but I keep Mufasa on the leash because he's not trained yet. If someone has an aggressive dog it needs to be on a leash; where I walk my dogs there's a family that lets their dog run all over, and she's friendly with people but is aggressive toward other dogs, and she attacked Abbey and Muffin four times. I keep calling them but they don't do anything about it. It's the owner's fault if they don't socialize the dog properly.

[GSD]

I'm torn about leash laws. I see the need for them, defineatly, BUT I don't see them doing much good. I still get chased by dogs when we go biking, I still encounter out of control dogs, I run into people that have no regard for me, themselves my dogs or their dogs, and have zero control. BUT what these laws punish is me when I want to go to a city park at a time when nobody is there and exercise my dogs.

They have amazing recalls, are very well trained, etc, and yes i'm aware that something still could happen. Im' in the middle of nowhere with at leat 50 to 100 yards between me and anything else, open field of vision all the way around, and yet the cops can stop and write me a ticket. It really irks me cause this park is used by absolutely NOBODY. It's an open grassy area, there are no soccer fields, no slides, swings, nothing. I'm always the only one there. ANd now I have to keep my dogs on a 4 ft leash. Those laws should be punishing those it was intended for.

[D.Schäferhund]

Hmmm, leashlaws in town ok, but there always need to be places where you can let your dog run free...

If everytown and county enforces leash laws, i believe we are in for some serious trouble.

In germany they put leashlaws(and/or muzzlelaws) on so called "dangerous" breeds. studies allready showed that beeing constantly on a leash and/or wearing a muzzle at all times, are animal cruelty!
We scream over a dog chained in the yard, but call for a leash on every dog!

Yeah people need ednucated, people need their dogs trained. but a leashlaw will not do this. Here were i live there are not even Dogparks, would be out of the question for me anyways, but other opeople could use them!

One more of them laws, where people that are honest are kept honest!

I again have to remember a billboard on I-44.
earlyer we suffered from crimes, now we suffer from laws!