Proposed change to dog bye laws

Immaculata

There's a public consultation running at the moment. Fingal County Council have proposed to change the current situation in my local park from where a dog must be either on lead or under adequate control, to on lead at all times, unless in a off leash area.

I think this is a terrible idea. For one thing, my mother, who has a couple of minor mobility-related disabilities, can walk with her sticks and walk her dogs off leash at the same time. But if this bye law change comes in, she won't be able to, as she can't walk them on leads, and in a off leash area (like the one in Saint Anne's park), she'd be too unstable. I don't think it's fair to discriminate against people with disabilities in this way, even unintentionally. Also we all know many dogs who get ten times the exercise off leash, than they would on leash, because off leash they are running about in wide circles, sniffing the trees and shrubs, while the human walking them strolls in a relatively straight line.

Anyway. What do other people think?

Other parks may have similar proposals in the pipeline. Here's the link to the proposal if anyone wants to read it or consider making a submission one way or another: https://consult.fingal.ie/en/consultation/proposed-changes-parks-open-spaces-bye-laws/chapter/section-three-bye-law-47-animals

tk123

What park is it? I'm in DCC's zone (is it called a zone?! ) so the park beside us has specific on/off lead times as does St Anne's but the Fingal parks/beach I go to are off lead at all times? Our park has one warden who's only there during certain times but he's mellowed in old age lol and once he knows us and knows ours dogs he won't ask us to put them on lead after the specified times just for the sake of it. Now we don't take the pi$$ either so that helps - the dogs aren't running wild or getting in anyones way. St Annes I tend to walk in early to avoid the crowds but the times I've been there after 11 I've never had an issue with having the dogs off lead and out of everyone's way. I avoid the dog pen in St Annes because IMO it's an accident waiting to happen with careless owners and their unsuitable dogs.

Immaculata

tk123 wrote: »

What park is it?

Malahide castle grounds.

Thanks for posting - I'm glad that there's a common sense approach even in parks where restrictions like the ones they're trying to bring in to Malahide are already in place.