Why don't Park Wardens or Gardaí enforce the Control of Dogs Act more?

are you serious

As I have asked in the title... Why don't Park Wardens or Gardaí enforce the Control of Dogs Act more?

Over the last two years or so I have been here posting on Boards a hot topic that always comes to light is the subject matter that is basic law and which all falls under the remit of the Control of Dogs Act, 1986 or Control of Dogs (Restriction of Certain Dogs) Regulations, 1991

For those of you who may not know I have 2 Rottweilers, my male Buddy 15 mths old and my felame Izzy 5 mths old.

When walking these two I; (1) do not muzzle, (2) I let them off the lead most walks no matter where I walk them(except roadsides) but not for the entire walk just enough to tire them out, (3) they do not have a name tag or collar containing any of my details.

The reasons for this is;
1 - they do not wear a muzzle for the following reason, nowhere in any of the legislation, act or regulation does it specify or give their interpretation of what a muzzle is
2 - nobody is ever around when they are off, and if they are off in company it is because the dog/dogs they are off lead with are friends with
3 - if for some reason they did run off I do not need the hassle of some stranger having my personal details, they are micro chipped for that reason.


Now for my views on the Wardens/Gardaí

Wardens have told me before to put my dogs back on the lead and I always will plain and simple no argument.
I have yet to meet any Gardaí in any park when walking the dogs but if they told me to put the dog back on the lead I would also do it no arguments there either.
I couldn't imagine a Warden or Guard approaching anyone to see if their dog is wearing an I.d tag with all of the owners details contained.

Some people have this illusion that Park Wardens/Gardaí know absolutely everything. What you need to remember is that Wardens and Gardaí are just regular people, they might not have an interest in Dogs at all and they will most certainly not know each and every breed or the breed background. With that said in my opinion on the topic of the above Act and Regulations Wardens should know a lot more than Gardaí.

If you put the above title question to a Warden and then a Guard and got an honest answer from both I think you would get a long winded answer from the Warden with him telling you basically he did not want to do it the Guard would probably answer something along the lines of I don't do it more because I don't know the law on that so I don't bother people with dogs, both of them could also come out and say I didnt know what breed that is so they stay away from them.


For my answer to my own question

I personally think it is a lack of education that neither the Gardaí or Wardens know which breed is which or which breed is on the RB list or not so they decide then to just not do anything. I have said it before and I will say it again now, not everyone knows every breed of dog and not everyone loves dogs like a lot of us here on Boards. If you are not a dog lover you will stay clear of them.

Its plain and simple for you all to see that this is an opinion based question so, in theory there is no right or wrong answer. I have asked it specifically to get everyone to talk about it in a separate dedicated thread as it always gets dragged into other threads which are not about this topic.


Note: Please do not descend this thread into insulting people or their views

Hellrazer

Great post Garkane.

Reminds me of this issue I had here with a social worker

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=61018992


She hadnt a clue about the breed and threatened to withdraw the child (hes with us 9 years) because she hadnt a clue about the RB list.Turns out she had received an email with a list of dogs that potential adoptive parents were not allowed to have.She hadnt even seen one of the dogs on the list but because teh Lab was big and fat she assumed it was dangerous.

How many wardend/garda have actually seen every one of the dogs on the RB list???

Id say its quite few to be completely honest.

maybe members of the gardai dont really see any problem with dogs being off-lead?

unless someone complains to them why would they possibly make you put the leash on the dog.

i was stopped by a park warden at 8am last week, there was me, my dog and two other people in the park. he told me put the lead on the dog. no reason for this and as far as i can tell he just had to prove he had the power. any ordinary person would realise there was no need at that time of the morning when there was no one around

ppink

I would think it is because they have too many other probably more important things to be doing.
I dont have nay experience with park wardens but I would imagine there are not too many dog wardens and they are probably full to the brim with picking up strays and taking in peoples unwanted dogs to be bothered about those who are causing no problem. I'd say if you were causing grief to your neighbours then you might see them enforcing.
Same with the guards, I cannot for see how with all the other crazy stuff going on that they would be too bothered about dogs muzzled or leashed.

Squall19

I leave my dog off the lead as well, but not in public parks.Just in the fields or empty beach.

People are afraid of 30kg+ dogs.

My mother would be terrified if she saw a big Rott walking around free in the park, it's just the way it is.

Yours are very young too, so be careful.

misschoo

I have a Westie - I walk her off lead as much as possible. When I see another dog I put her back on the lead (more often than not the other dogs are off lead) & when we move away from them I take her off lead again - have never had any problems & feel that all dogs should be allowed to walk this way

doctor evil

Sounds to me you chancing it OP.

Are they microchipped, what if they end up lots get picked up but the scanner doesn't work or the chip malfunctions or migrates.

When out and about you never know what is around the next corner, there are very few places where it is safe to have off lead.

are you serious

doctor evil wrote: »

Sounds to me you chancing it OP.

Are they microchipped, what if they end up lots get picked up but the scanner doesn't work or the chip malfunctions or migrates.

When out and about you never know what is around the next corner, there are very few places where it is safe to have off lead.

Are they Microchipped... No they're not... I just went out of my way, spent well over an hour laying out and wording the original post in such a way as to not come across cheeky or cocky in any way and then I just stuck in a lie about my dogs being chipped.. :rolleyes:
Yes ok the chip could migrate I get this point, the second point is down to human error as a new scanner should be got if the first malfunctions.


My dogs at furthest have let me get the length of a football field from them before they come running after me, not that this happens often probably once a week if even that. If I actually thought they would ever run away I would never let them off the lead, there is no question of that. As for never knowing what is around the next corner, there are very few blind spots in a park, I can count on one hand the blind spots in my local park, all of which are a line of trees which when I approach I always have the dogs on the lead, always.

Squall19 - Your absolutely right about the big dog theory.
I found that when I had Buddy on his own people walked away from us, turned away or done anything they could to get away from us!!
Now that I have Izzy standing beside him people have no problem walking past us or even approaching us to say hello!!
Its a misconception of this big bad bold black dog coming towards them, once they see a smaller dog with him they come up and see both of them are so friendly. Almost always ends up them asking will I let Buddy off lead to play with their dog as their own dog does not get play time with such a big friendly dog.

average_runner

I understand the post but will add my 2 cents.

I grew up with boxers as pets an loved them to bits, but the one thing you got to remember is that they are a weapon.


I mean your dog could be a length of a pitch away and a 2/3 year old child could run over to play with it. Now the child could do something that could cause the dog to snap back, and then the child is bitten and dog pays the penalty, which is unfair.

Now you could say the child should be kept close all the time but a dog should be kept closer at all times.

So play safe, and dont have a dog pay the penalty for the owner mistake as not fair.

are you serious

A weapon, are you actually serious? My dogs are not a weapon, they are pets and in no way shape or form would I ever describe them as a weapon or any other dog for that matter.
As I said in my first post when the dogs are off leash nobody is ever around unless I know them, so the scenario with the child will never happen. When my son is with the dogs as my pictures show they love each other.

This is not a thread about dogs being off leash so I will also add the question again,

Why don't Park Wardens or Gardaí enforce the Control of Dogs Act more?

average_runner

My daugther is plays with our dog also, but would never trust the dog.

No matter what they are unprectiable in scenarios.

If your so certain about your dogs would you leave your daughter unattended with them?

Not a personal dig just a question?


Also you cant always control or predict what your dog will do off the leash, he/she could see a rabbit and chase it.


These things happen and steps need to be taken to protect the dogs.


Gardai are starting to act on it also, i know one person in our area that got a fine last September

Cherry Blossom

garkane wrote: »

Why don't Park Wardens or Gardaí enforce the Control of Dogs Act more?

It's the same as everything else, it's much handier for them to go after the easy targets, the well socialised RBs which clearly aren't going to take their arm off.

The last 2 years of my nan's life were made living hell by the people whose property backed up to her house. They had a bunch of greyhounds locked in a shed standing in 2 feet of their own excrement, after months worth of calls to the 'authorities' about the constant barking and conditions of the dogs, a warden eventually turned up at my house in relation to the complaints about my dogs. He was pointed in correct direction none the less and he told the neighbours to let the dogs (they were greyhounds) out of the shed. So they did :rolleyes: This resulted in them (non-socialised, malnourished, highly aggressive dogs) being unleashed on the general public, they attacked dogs, sheep and kids all over the place, more calls resulting in the owners telling the warden that they had got rid and these 'new' dogs weren't theirs. This resulted in the eventual destruction of the dogs (when someone finally managed to trap them in a shed) - they were then 'replaced' and it started all over again. The problem did eventually go away - they had their house repossessed.

One incident however of a GSD appearing briefly in someone's garden in the confusion of its owners moving in to their new home had the same warden calling within hours to issue them with a 'final warning'. The whole thing is an idiotic sham. There are plenty of people with enough knowledge and will to do these jobs correctly, why don't they employ them instead of these tossers out for an easy life of it.

Discodog

Just found this comment whilst looking for something else.

"Supt Lyons said that all dog owners must have licences and be responsible for them. He said: “We don’t take action if a dog fouls a footpath. It is possible to approach people who are walking dogs to ask them to produce a licence for their dog. But there is no law against people walking dogs on footpaths.”

http://www.laois-nationalist.ie/tabId/153/itemId/9447/Dogs-in-Mountmellick-may-soon-be-in-nappies.aspx

paddyandy

We Irish are lacking when it comes to Rule books ...and the entire problem today was created by ignoring warnings and not monitoring the property market. We don't enforce laws very well .Some believe it's a legacy from british presence that has stayed with us .

Bullseye1

Our politicians are also responsible for poor legislation. No wonder we rebel against so much nonsense. Not all law is good law.

Discodog

I am a little confused (not difficult ) in that the OP has restricted breeds but seems to be wanting the wardens & guards to implement the RB legislation. Personally I am pleased that they are not as it is a very stupid piece of law.

The following is from an actual job description for a dog warden in Ireland. I have never met one who does half of this but note that they do not require any knowledge of canine behaviour - yet this will be the person who decides if a dog is dangerous:

1. To regularly patrol and survey within the Borough, Public and Council
owned areas, private areas as requested, Police Stations to collect stray
dogs and return them to their owners or the Council’s contracted Kennels
for safe storage.
2. To interview offending owners and inform them of their legal obligations
in ensuring that dogs are kept under control and are neither a danger,
nor cause fouling to public areas.
3. To carry out surveillance to enforce as necessary through legal
proceedings legislation relating to the control of dogs, including giving
evidence and statements in Court as necessary.
4. To liaise with the Police, animal welfare organisations, educational
establishments on matters relating to dog control & welfare.
5. To patrol areas as directed, where there is a problem caused by dogs, as appropriate discuss and distribute literature to the public and offenders
6. To assist in the promotion of ‘responsible dog ownership’ by attending
schools, meetings, fairs, shows etc.
7. To promote the Council’s issued Dog Management Policy.
8. To liaise with other educational/welfare agencies as necessary.
9. To be actively involved in providing a dog identity service.
10. To respond to dog fouling incidents and fixing of signs to promote no
fouling policies.
11. To complete daily work schedules and maintain other necessary records on computers and manual files.
12. To attend training courses as required.
13. To collect payments and issue receipts in relation to dog related services.
14. To comply with all health & safety regulations, together with the Council’s Service safety policies.
15. Any other duties in line with the overall purpose of the job.

Contrast your local warden with this example that proves that a dog warden can be a force for good:

http://www.wokingham-berkshire.org.uk/site-admin/events/1159-howls-of-wokingham-delight-as-mandy-is-named-dog-warden-of-the-year/

marley123

Marley Park Wardens are VERY Strict re dogs on leash ( appart from in dog park area ) saw 2 people get fined on sunday out there.

paddyandy

Bullseye1 wrote: »

Our politicians are also responsible for poor legislation. No wonder we rebel against so much nonsense. Not all law is good law.

Good Law or Bad Law we dont care enough anyway that's why this wee nation will slide to total ruin eventually if we don't recognise the importance of all laws .....none of bad laws argument ...a sleepy third world nation we are ..zzzzzzzzzz.

DamagedTrax

paddyandy wrote: »

Good Law or Bad Law we dont care enough anyway that's why this wee nation will slide to total ruin eventually if we don't recognise the importance of all laws .....none of bad laws argument ...

personally i feel it's partially slipped into ruin because as a nation we dont stand up and say 'no this law isnt just, we need to change it'.

arguing a bad law is much better than just blindly agreeing with it.

Discodog

When you consider how many dog owners there are we should be a very powerful lobby group.