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[raindog]

What the hell is the world coming too

Terry

Dog owners who walk their pets on leads longer than 6'8 face £1,000 fines

By JAMES TOZER

Last updated at 6:00 PM on 10th June 2010

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Barking mad: Dog walkers in Ashton-under-Lyne, Greater Manchester, must keep their leads short, as demonstrated here, or face large fines (file pic)

They give dogs the freedom to run about without their owner having to worry about them dashing off to chase a passing cat.

But now long leads have become the latest casualty on what critics say is a campaign by councils to curb the rights of dog owners.

Wardens in Greater Manchester have been ordered to target walkers using leads more than 6ft 8in (2m) in length with the threat of a fine of up to £1,000 if they refuse to use a shorter one.

The local council claims the tough new rule - imposed under legislation brought in by the last Labour Government - is necessary to prevent dogs roaming out of control and curb fouling.

However dog enthusiasts yesterday said they were being penalised at the expense of irresponsible owners and questioned whether wardens would be equipped with tape measures to enforce the regulation.

The measures have been imposed by Tameside council in Ashton-under-Lyne and neighbouring towns under a dog control order covering dozens of local parks and playing fields, thought to among the first of its kind outside London.

Dog walkers using them are banned from exercising their pets on leads measuring longer than 6ft 8in (2m) - even though the local council admits it has received no complaints about dogs on long leashes causing a nuisance.

Today owners of some of Tameside's 30,000 dogs slammed the rules, saying the council should be targeting people who let their pets roam free not those who kept them under control.

Among them was retired businessman Bernard Lake, 67, who was yesterday exercising his Yorkshire terrier Mickey on King George V playing fields in Ashton-under-Lyne.

He suffers from breathing difficulties and cannot walk very quickly so he uses a 15ft extendable lead so his pet can still have a run about.

'Most dog owners use common sense, and the few who don't aren't going to change their behaviour because of a change in the law,' he said yesterday.

'It's the irresponsible people that make life more difficult for the rest of us public-spirited ones.'

Painter and decorator Michael Bennett, 53, walking his seven-month-old golden retriever Ash, said: 'There are irresponsible owners who don't control their dogs and don't pick up their dog muck but this won't have any effect on them.

'They simply won't pay the fine. It's a crazy rule and it won't work.'

And Sarah Smith, 56, out exercising Jack Russell-cross Millie and King Charles spaniel Oscar, branded the £1,000 fine 'ridiculous'.

'I only use a short lead now, but I did use a retractable one when the dogs were puppies,' the cleaner said yesterday. 'It was useful. It gave them more exercise.

'I think it’s terrible the way responsible dog owners are being treated. We are being penalised for a few badly behaved ones.'

Critics also demanded to know what evidence the local council had that dog owners who used short leads were more likely to clean up after their pets than those who used longer ones.

The Kennel Club labelled the rules 'completely arbitrary and unnecessary' and said it would penalise dog owners who had taken a responsible decision to exercise their dogs while keeping them fully under control.

'We believe it will be ineffective and extremely difficult to enforce,' said spokeswoman Caroline Kisko.

'Many dog owners use flexible retractable leads in order to allow their dogs some freedom while still maintaining control so it seems particularly unfair to limit the length of lead in this way.'

And Dylan Sharpe, campaign director of Big Brother Watch, said the rule was just the latest example of surveillance powers being used to target law-abiding dog owners.

'This proposal is completely barking mad,' he said. 'Only a local authority would even think of fining people £1,000 because of the length of their dog lead.

'This is just the latest in a steady stream of potty policies that try to criminalise and fine innocent dog walkers.'

Rules imposed under Labour's Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act have proved equally unpopular with dog walkers in other parts of the country.

In London, which has an estimated one dog for every ten residents, Kensington and Chelsea council stipulates that in certain areas, including public footpaths and grassed squares, dogs must be kept on leads not more than 4ft long.

It also introduced a rule barring people from walking more than two dogs at a time after complaints about professional dog-walkers blocking pavements with packs of animals, but relaxed that to allow a maximum of six after a chorus of disapproval.

Meanwhile earlier this year Newark and Sherwood council in Nottinghamshire banned dogs altogether in 72 parks with the threat of £75 on-the-spot fines.

No official or councillor at Tameside council was available to speak to the Daily Mail yesterday, but a spokesman claimed dog owners who used short leads were more likely to clean up dog mess.

'The areas where we are asking people to keep their dogs on a lead include formal gardens and sports pitches in parks,' he said.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

wtf i walk skyla on an extendable and i always keep my eye out for other animals if i see 1 i reel her in an lock it so its short same with bingo on his extandable - world is crazy

does this include if ur exercising ur dog on a feild using a long line or is it just walkin the streets??

worlds gone crazy

[sabresmum]

RIDICULOUS!!!!

[valkyries]

just soooo crazy it's unreal well i for one will still be using my long leads xxxx

[Sparks]

What the Hell, iv never heard so much rubbish!!!!

This is so Wrong, this country is "MESSED" up !!!!!

[Lana]

wow......just another reason why i love the USA (nothing against the our European brothers/sisters....and we are far from perfect. I don't think a Senator would be crazy enough to attempt to impose a law as such. As far as banning dogs from so parks...ok i can kinda deal with that better than the short leash. Oh yeah that whole thing about people with short leashes are "more likely" to clean up their dogs mess, doesn't sound like their informations came from long study (or any study at all) just someone's thoughts. It is just as easy to pass poop close up as it is to pass a mess far away. The problems is not with the length of the leash but the irresponsible owners.

It also sounds like an official step in some dog mess and got really pissed, then took it to the extreme. Here in our community we report individuals who do not clean up their dog mess and the owner is fine 50.00 each time. I beleive the strong key to this is to remind/ insist irresponsible owners to clean up their dogs mess and at time report them if refused a friendly reminder.

[Andy]

Wot a load of Bollox.

Glad I don't live up there.

[Sid_Wolf]

Awful!!!

Glad im down here now

[davidjk]

i dont know what i would do if i had to keep micha and suki on the lead all the time. they love the freedom they get

stupid rules

how about wardens go round and fine people who have no control over their animals

just tonight a terrier bit suki, she walked over and when she got close it ran over and atacked. she is ok. that is the sort of dog that needs to be on a 2 meter lead, with a damn muzzle.

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

glad shes ok david - stupid uncontrollable dogs

[lornawilsonandstevecarroll]

WHAT A CROCK !!!!!

Cant comment as far as Tess is concerned as she isnt allowed out for walks yet, but Gizzi is usually walked on an extendable lead and then we let her off the lead in the fields and open grassland area at the bottom of our road,she is an easy going dog that gets on very well with other dogs and people so we have no worries there and as far as poo goes we pick up what she leaves behind.

[furbabys]

:angry:stuoid b******s looks like were shopping for new leads

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Gizzi is usually walked on an extendable lead and then we let her off the lead in the fields and open grassland area at the bottom of our road,she is an easy going dog that gets on very well with other dogs and people so we have no worries there and as far as poo goes we pick up what she leaves behind.

same with bings i can let him off hes fine with other dogs and i poop scoop

:angry:stuoid b******s looks like were shopping for new leads

im not buyin new leads they can shove it

[AnNi3]

Very stupid,..what the hell is the world comming to

[dygosamikita]

Just another case of making more laws instead of simply enforcing the ones that already exist. And who is going to pay for the extra wardens that they will undoubtedly want in order to enforce this new ridiculous law.........yup you guessed it us responsible owners who take care of our animals and clean up after them.

I hope people in the area are taking action and contacting the council. If people don't start standing up for their rights these politicians will just keep taking them away little by little.

[Lil Miss Bump]

this is really bad for our area bcoz where i work is right next to tameside-and i hope that we (MCC) dont follow suit........gawd...........madness

[Sarah]

WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No way I am changing my leads!! They can't be let off so have the extending ones!!

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

it shud b the unruly (sp?) dogs that have 2 kept on fixed lenth leads not our well behaved 1s!

[Tikaani&Aiyana]

Pah what a load of rubbish

[lauraxxx29]

Well what the hell....stupid thats all i can say so hope that rule does not come in down here just ordered Akias 100ft lead.....lol. Should be here tomz yayeeee. I use my 4ft one when in streets so what alot of crap. We need to stand up for the people that do live in that area.

[lauraxxx29]

Well what the hell....stupid thats all i can say so hope that rule does not come in down here just ordered Akias 100ft lead.....lol. Should be here tomz yayeeee. I use my 4ft one when in streets so what alot of crap. We need to stand up for the people that do live in that area.

[AnnaB]

what a crock of @&%$! whenever we have Nooks on an extending lead and we see any other dogs coming or any humans for that matter who look wary of him (?!) we reel him in and lock it then when they go past we extend the lead again

[ISDW]

OK, here I go again annoying you all but, can we please bear in mind that this article is in the Daily Mail, that well known bastion of the truth:lol:

Read the last line of the article 'The areas where we are asking people to keep their dogs on a lead include formal gardens and sports pitches in parks.' The spokesman then said "However, there are open spaces very close by where people can exercise their dogs off the lead.' so maybe they're not actually saying all dogs have to be on short leads everywhere? I'm sure all of you with extending leads put them short anyway when you're in certain areas, but maybe not everybody does, and its caused problems with people getting tangled up etc.

Anyway, I'm now going to put my tin hat on and dive for cover

[dygosamikita]

This is what Northumberland County Council is looking to change the dog laws around here to:

What are the Proposed Changes?

There are four new dog control orders being considered by Northumberland County Council:

Order One - Removing Dog Faeces

This would require people in control of a dog to immediately remove faeces deposited by their dog on all land which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access in the County of Northumberland at all times of the year.

Order Two - Keeping Dogs on Leads

This would require people in control of a dog to keep it on a lead no longer than 1.5 metres in the following area(s) at all times of the year

All cemeteries within the County of Northumberland.

Additional areas which arise from the consultation process may be considered for inclusion in this order.

Order Three - Keeping Dogs on Leads when Directed

This would require people in control of a dog to put and keep it on a lead, no longer than 1.5m, when told to do so by an authorised officer, which will apply on land open to the air and to which the the public are entitled or permitted to have access in the County of Northumberland at all times of the year.

Order Four - Excluding Dogs from Land

This would require people in control of a dog to ensure that it is prevented from entering any of the following areas:

• All enclosed children’s play areas within Northumberland at all times of the year;

• All school playing fields.

In addition to the above it is also intended to explore the possibility of listing sections of some of Northumberland’s beaches in a separate order where dogs have restricted access between May and October. This will include a review of the current order that applies to Newbiggin Beach.

Here they are talking about a limited lead length but it is only supposed to be in certain places. Hopefully other councils take a sensible approach as well.

[KERNOWHUSKIES]

I really have no words !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!