Hi everyone This is my first post as I'm relatively new to the area, but I would like to highlight Southwark council's new consultation about dogs in our local parks: https://consultations.southwark.gov.uk/environment-leisure/lets-talk-about-dogs I'm a Dad and have also been a dog owner, so hopefully I can see both sides of the debate. However I have had some pretty nasty experiences in the local parks, in particular Peckham Rye and Nunhead cemetery. The problems as I see them: 1) There is too much dog poo which hasn't been picked up. Every week my kid ends up with poo on them, which is disgusting and dangerous. I know lots of owners are responsible, but sadly lots are not. Some stiffer penalties would be good. 2) There are far too many professional dog walkers with large groups of dogs off lead - especially in Nunhead cemetery. It is extremely difficult to properly control very large groups of dogs and pick up after them, especially in dense woodland. Last week there was a lady in there walking seven animals all off lead! Large groups of dogs run in a pack and put children and other animals at risk. My child has been knocked over and we have had several near misses, which has made us wary and taken a lot of the enjoyment out of visiting. Four dogs seems a safe maximum number for one person; four dogs per walker is the limit within Lewisham. As it's also a nature reserve and working cemetery, it would seem sensible to keep all dogs on leads. 3) The wardens have little power to enforce the rules. Very often in Peckham Rye there are large dogs off lead by the children's play areas and pond where there are clearly numerous signs to have dogs on lead. I have often seen the warden come by and ask people to put their dogs on a lead, but the next day the same people are back with their dogs off lead again. If you have time please fill in the short survey, whatever side of the debate you are on. For what it's worth I'm not advocating banning dogs altogether from the cemeteries, nor am I anti dog-walkers. I just feel that it would be nice for our parks and open spaces to be safer and more welcoming, especially for little ones. Nunhead cemetery in particular needs some urgent action before a child is seriously hurt. All the best.
