Wildlife and dogs

Sheena, children on leads, is that legal, lol.

Stich said:

Sheena, children on leads, is that legal, lol.

Thank yoyu Seaman for reminding me of the word "reins"!!! I couldn't think of it when I posted earlier! Another senior moment.

Even if you made the "dogs on leads" signs 10 feet high, supposedly intelligent people would still ignore them. It doesn't apply to their dog, naturally, which never does any harm. And it simply cannot be policed even if legislation applies. If you have the guts to challenge a person, it's the only thing that can practically be done, but you need to take time to carefully explain why the dog must be controlled in that area. Explanation is usually what is lacking on such prohibition signs.

:-)

I love dogs, having had a bull terrier for 16 years, but feel very strongly that they should not be allowed in nature reserves. WWT don't allow it and visiting one of their reserves is a pleasure, no dog muck to step in (from irresponsible owners only) no dogs jumping up at you whilst off the lead ( again irresponsible owners ). It doesn't matter how many signs are put up, some will still let their dogs run free, even in areas that state quite clearly breeding birds keep dogs on a lead and these days you dare not reproach anyone. The few always spoil things for the many.

I am dog owner and would never dream of walking Sophie in a dedicated nature, there are plenty of other wild open spaces for us to explore. Like other breeds she is a curious hound, but whether she is off the lead or not, I always keep her under close control. We have regular haunts that we visit, where I know she can run off the lead free without any danger to herself or wild animals/people/dogs. I would never do anything to stop her from being a dog, i.e having a good charge around to burn off all that energy, or play with other dogs that she knows. But in new situations or places that I am unsure of, she goes back on the lead, because I know and respect the fact that not everyone likes dogs. If MrT and I want to go to a nature reserve, Sophie stays at home.

It's a difficult one. As a dog owner, I am well aware of the responsibilites I have when walking Cassie, whether it is in a park, down the street or out in the countryside. It angers me when I see other dog owners who cannot be bothered to keep their dog under control or pick up after them. It gives the rest of us a bad name :-(

A dog should be on the lead, if not under close control whenever wildlife is nearby, both to protect the wildlife and the dog. Banning them altogether from ourdoor spaces/reserves would be dissappointing - but I think Wardens or staff looking after a certain area should have the right to ask an owner and dog to leave if the dog was not under full control.

I also agree with the number of comments about children and other outdoor users being just as, if not more disruptive than a dog (even a dog off lead can be better controlled than some children!)

Don't know where you lot live but wildlife is everywhere around here, even the local park has owls and buzzards, kingfishers and dippers, foxes and even deer!  If anything, the ball is more dangeous than the dogs because it can go flying anywhere except the direction I'm wanting it to go in LOL  There is no way of NOT disturbing wildlife when walking with or without a dog around here.  If you don't want wildlife to ever be disturbed, the only thing to do is to stay at home and watch it on the TV.  But please ensure the volume isn't so loud it disturbs the spiders on the ceiling.  Wildlife isn't confined to nature reserves.

KatTai said:

Wildlife isn't confined to nature reserves.

All the more reason to protect reserves don't you think

Well said Judi.