Nunhead cemetery strange man with DSLR camera taking photos of dow owners and dog walkers

[nununoolio]

Penguin68 Wrote:

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> Isn't the issue one of control, not numbers? I

> have seen someone walking eight (albeit small)

> dogs on linked leads - 4 a hand, in a very

> controlled manner, and someone else incapable of

> looking after just 2. Dog walkers should be doing

> a good job - controlling however many dogs they

> can control and walking them sufficiently to be

> exercised. If they can control 8 and be paid (as

> it were) 8 times an hourly rate for just one -

> well good on them. If they can't and if the dogs

> they aren't controlling then act up (chasing other

> dogs or people, fouling in the wrong places etc.)

> then actions should be taken against them.

This, in a nutshell.

A PSPO will enable the Council to deal with those unable or unwilling to control their dog(s), whatever number of hounds they have.

[nununoolio]

angel_lemarchand Wrote:

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> I pick up my dogs poop, as well as other people's

> dog poop when I come across it. When/ if dog

> walkers stop using this space, due to the

> unpleasant behavior they face daily, and are

> replaced by drug addicts, drunks, or people up to

> no good, people will miss having dog walkers/

> owners keeping nature reserves safe for all to

> enjoy, service provided free of charge of course.

> People need to consider the benefits provided by

> dog owners. Unfortunately, some people are

> irresponsible, but those people will continue to

> ignore any new rules set up, will continue to not

> clean up after their dogs, will not exercise them

> properly, will not train them properly etc...

Oh dear!

[nununoolio]

people will miss having dog walkers/

> owners keeping nature reserves safe for all to

> enjoy,

Tell that to the foxes, squirrels etc........

And if only the flowers could talk.

[Lollipop]

As someone who has two dogs ( and not a dog walker) I am really sad about the Southwark consultation. It should not be necessary if people were more considerate about their pets behaviour.

I use a dog walker when I am away on holiday and she says she would be happy to be restricted in the number of dogs. Sydenham Woods has had a sign for some time now stating there is a limit to the number of dogs people can walk there.

I do feel very frustrated at groups of friends who walk around parks, the cemetery and Sydenham Wood who do not pay attention to their dogs. Often the dog does a poo so far away from the owner that calling them back is not possible.

Plea to all dog owners/walkers - please pay attention and make sure you pick up. It spoils it for everyone and I completely understand why people would argue for dogs on leads.

All credit though to the lady who I chased after this week whose dog had done a poo which she missed. It was in the long grass and neither of us could find it. However she found another poo and picked that up instead!

[d walker]

nununoolio Wrote:

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> people will miss having dog walkers/

> > owners keeping nature reserves safe for all to

> > enjoy,

>

> Tell that to the foxes, squirrels etc........

> And if only the flowers could talk.

Dog walkers are out walking daily come rain or shine so nununoolio they do in fact keep our parks and cemeteries a safe place to go, often when I'm out if weather is poor it's only dog walkers you see. I agree people need to be responsible and control their dogs and clean up after them, irresponsible dog walkers wont obey rules anyway, so as usual the responsible are penalised for the actions of the minority.

If the "flowers could talk", they'd probably also tell you they get trampled on by small children, but we wouldn't then say lets ban small children as majority parents are responsible it's just few irresponsible parents.

[nununoolio]

d walker Wrote:

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> nununoolio Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > people will miss having dog walkers/

> > > owners keeping nature reserves safe for all

> to

> > > enjoy,

> >

> > Tell that to the foxes, squirrels etc........

> > And if only the flowers could talk.

>

>

> Dog walkers are out walking daily come rain or

> shine so nununoolio they do in fact keep our parks

> and cemeteries a safe place to go, often when I'm

> out if weather is poor it's only dog walkers you

> see. I agree people need to be responsible and

> control their dogs and clean up after them,

> irresponsible dog walkers wont obey rules anyway,

> so as usual the responsible are penalised for the

> actions of the minority.

>

> If the "flowers could talk", they'd probably also

> tell you they get trampled on by small children,

> but we wouldn't then say lets ban small children

> as majority parents are responsible it's just few

> irresponsible parents.

I would have agreed with your first paragraph up until about five years ago, but there are now so many more people populating our parks and cemeteries these days, even on the most miserable of winter days. Dog walkers yes, but also people exercising, parents with kids, nature lovers, photographers etc..... I would agree that it was most likely that dog walkers have brought this about by making the parks feel safe in the first place, but I would now venture that often, there are way too many dogs being walked at times, and possibly by some people who struggle to control the animals in their care.

As for kids and flowers, don't get me started! I have had words with many parents who just smile as their children stamp on or kick flowers, or in one case, rip out handfuls of crocuses to give to their parents! Nonetheless, this is far outweighed by the trampling, scratching and chewing of many more dogs that destroys/erodes the path borders, especially noticeable in the nature reserves. Not blaming the dogs, but the owners/walkers who don't even seem to notice or care about what is happening in front of them, nor the purpose of the location they are in.

[d walker]

Yes definitely many more dogs now, but mainly by commercial walkers some but not all, in my opinion walk far to many dogs at a time, which is unnerving to both people who don't like dogs and people like myself who want to be able to walk their dog in peace without having packs of dogs running around. Dogs behaviour changes when they get into a large pack.

[shoshntosh]

There are good dog owners and not so good dog owners -- and yes, the bad ones spoil it for the good ones (just as in any circumstance). But for the life of me I cannot figure out what the fuss is about re: photographing someone's dog. Maybe it's polite to ask first, but seriously, they're DOGS. Aren't we going a bit overboard? Who cares? What am I missing here? the OP wrote "firing a DLSR" as if the dogs were being shot. FIRING??? it's not a water pistol, or even an air gun. It's a photo. Of a DOG. Some have suggested this is "breaking the law" -- world gone mad, that.

(and yes, i'm a dog owner...)

[rendelharris]

I think the OP said the person was taking pictures of "people with dogs" rather than their dogs - which, if the pictures are being used to campaign against dog walkers, would certainly cause me concern (were I lucky enough to own a dog).

[Rosetta]

Think the OP is a professional dog walker.

[shoshntosh]

i think if you're a dog owner who isn't doing anything wrong (nor is your dog) then you don't really have anything to worry about??

[Rosetta]

If dogs were not allowed to be let off lead anymore, then it would cause problems if you had a number of dogs, which most dog walkers do.

[d walker]

shoshntosh Wrote:

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> i think if you're a dog owner who isn't doing

> anything wrong (nor is your dog) then you don't

> really have anything to worry about??

Apart from the new rules may not allow well behaved dogs walking with their owner to be off lead.

[nununoolio]

> Apart from the new rules may not allow well

> behaved dogs walking with their owner to be off

> lead.

Only in cemeteries and nature reserves, not all parks.

[first mate]

Nunoolio,

and 'near children's play areas'- which applies, according to how that phrase is interpreted, to sections of all parks too, since all parks have children's play areas. How close 'near' is has not been properly explained and perhaps it will be discretionary.

Under PSPOS, Park authorities/officers will also be able to tell people to put their dog on a lead if they decide the dog is badly behaved anywhere in the park. Again, if 'policing' PSPOS is contracted out, as it is elsewhere, to a private company with the aim to issue as many fines as possible in a day, I'd imagine the dogs on leads element will be stretched to the limit.