Goose Green - Dog Free Area?

[Fidoolabra]

If dogs are allowed in the fenced off bit in Goose Green? I know it says dog free area on it, but there is a sign saying the fence is coming down and I read all the stuff about the dog free bit not being enforceable on a previous sign....

And no-one from the council seems to be able to answer the question...

Anyone got any inside info?

[Mark]

have a read of this thread http://www.eastdulwichforum.co.uk/forum/read.php?5,129755,page=1 it may help. Also have a look at the minutes for the Friends of Goose Green public meeting Word Document:

"Councils can only enforce dog exercise areas with a by-law which does not exist at present within Southwark. It is therefore not currently legal to put up signage to try to enforce a dog-free area. In the absence of a by-law, the Council will need a Dog Control Order (per Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005)."

[edited once]

[Fidoolabra]

Ah thanks - I did see that one (after I posted oops...)

But still - does that mean that is ok for dog owners to walk their dogs in the dog free area? Seems so....

[Bellenden Jo]

But why would you want to walk you dog in a dog-free area? I like that I can take my kids in there to play and know that (hopefully)there won't be any dog poo. I will miss the fence when it's gone and hope that they do decide to put it back up. Makes life so much easier when the children are running about not to have dogs running up to them and jumping up at them because they get overexcited with running children.

[omgwtfpwn]

And seeing as the council will probably not be getting an enforced dog-controlled order the whole park will be over-run with dogs. And the funny thing is.. you cant tell any dog owner to move as there is no such thing as a dog-free area.

I just hope the dog fouling twits are caught by those community wardens and slapped with a nice fine.

[Fidoolabra]

I didn't say I wanted too :)

I was just wondering what the situation was as is unclear.

Thanks Mark - I guess that answers the question.

I agree about the dog poo... trod in some over there the other day, be nice if everyone picked it up :-S

[p_in_ed]

I agree with Bellenden Jo. It's nice to have separate areas for dog's and children, and it seems to work quite well at the moment.

By putting up a fence, marking one of the areas as dog free, and relying on the goodwill of responsible dog owners to use the dog walking area of the park, seems to have resulted in a park that meets the needs of both dog walkers and families with young children over the last two years.

I don't see why it needs to change.

[Huggers]

Majority respect the dog free area but I think the sign should say 'No dogs beyond this point/in here' people only' or something really really clear. 'Dog free area' seems to spell 'free your dogs' to some of the bull terrier twilight barking contingency. Dumbing down I know, but necessary.

[edanna]

I was attacked by a dog on Goose Green a couple of years ago (before they put that fence in). I was running (moving target) and a rottweiler-like dog clamped its jaw on my arm and wouldn't let go until her owner pulled her off. I was wearing long sleeves, fortunately, but you could still see tooth marks on my arm. I'm much more worried about a dog attacking my baby than the poo issue, though of course the poo is serious too. Having said that, the fence does kind of split the green in two so maybe the dog-free area could be in a different place (away from the traffic) and a different shape?

[DagmarJ]

I think that's all for grabs. Once the fence is removed there is supposed to be a 6 months trial period during which complaints, dog fouling etc will be monitored and maybe there will be another consultation on the issue. At the end there could be no division at all or a new fence at the same position or a new fence for a different bit. The council - due to pressure by anti-fence and pro-dog residents - has decided to remove the fence and then monitor/consult. I've written several times to council officers and members on the issue and attended Friends of Goose Green meetings in support of the dog free zone, but they seem set on this approach now. I just hope they don't remove the fence until later in the year so we have another Summer with a - relatively - dog free zone.

[Scruffy Mummy]

I've written on this issue several times before and - the whole thing was initiated by a vocal, anti fence lobby who responded in force to the consultation. I responded to the consultation as well but not enough of the people who were happy with the split between the space now did so the council went with the most vocal voices. I even spoke to the counsellors about it when they came round to do their door to door thing and they said there is nothing they can do as the consultation found in favour of removing the fence. Typical.

As I've said and others have said - now people who don't feel comfortable with dogs can enjoy the space in the (relatively) dog free area. When the fence comes down, the whole place will be one big dog run and we won't see people pinicking and relaxing in the area. Just people exercising dogs.

[AllforNun]

This is getting ridiculous:

Nunhead has a small area of our small green sectioned off into a dog exercise area. Goose green is not really flooded with dogs. Why don't they designate a smaller area in part of the green, and re-use the existing fence to do this ?

Surely this is much better, accommodates everyone, keeps the cost down and removes what is basically a horrendous design flaw from the park. Splitting it in half was way to ambitious and effects the overall balance of the green. OK maybe a mistake was made, but in good faith, so lets spend a bit more money and sort it.

[p_in_ed]

A good suggestion from AllforNun.

My own preference would be to spend nothing and leave things as they are - the most cost effective approach. The current arrangement has worked fine for the last couple of years.

Personally, I have no objection to the Green being divided as it is at present, and quite like the fence. I know there are those that don't.

If the alternative were the proposal from AllforNun, I'd be more than happy. Spend some money, reposition the fence to keep those that find it unattractive happy, and reduce the size of the dog walking area.

[Louisa]

Flogging a dead horse. Here we go again - dog's and owners, yummies and kids on your marks, get set, GO!

Louisa.

[ratty]

What the fook does that mean?

[Mark]

The council after a consultation did put forward a proposal to fence off the area closest to the roundabout for dog use but it was subsequently rejected by dog walkers as there was not enough space.

Anyway, I was walking through through the Green last night about 9:30 there were two blokes with their dogs in the "dog free" area. I saw one of the dogs have a sh*t and, although both men saw the dog do this, neither of them cleared it up. It reminded me of the bloke I saw earlier in the day park his car in the bus lane, in front of a bus and then stroll casually into the newsagent i.e. they don't care about inconvenience they cause others even if there are rules in place.

I do see other people with their dogs in the dog free area from time to time and fence or no fence they'll go in there. Personally I would prefer to have no fence and a couple of pleasant signs saying "please try and keep dogs in a certain area", the majority of dog walkers will do so as they respect other users of the green and those that don't don't.

[AllforNun]

How can you reject a walking site as too small ! - Peckham Rye is 3mins down the road for gods sake. The little area for dogs on the green in Nunhead is 20X15, and it is well used.

[Huggers]

most of the dog walkers thought the roundabout fenced area was a good idea- in fact we suggested it.Its the bit least used by everyone else.

[Mark]

I suggested it too initially and was happy with the plans that were drawn up but the views and opinions came in and it was decided, on weight of the dog walkers' opinions, that it would be too small an area especially when there were quite a few dogs and walkers around and especially when there were aggressive ones around.

[p_in_ed]

The point Mark makes about aggressive dogs underlines the need for a fence to divide the dog-walking and non-dog areas of Goose Green. Parents with young children need more reassurance than the good-will of the dog-walkers to provide peace of mind that the Green is a safe and friendly place for their kids to play. In my experience, the great majority of dog walkers use the park responsibly, but on a couple of occasions I've spoken to dog walkers who were walking their dog in the non-dog area, and their reason for doing so was that aggressive dogs scared their own dogs, and they were consequently using the non-dog area for the well-being of their dog. If dog owners are reluctant to share a space with aggressive dogs, then children certainly shouldn't be expected to. The worried dog owners will have to take their chances in the dog-walking area. But keep the fence (or at least, keep some of physical speparation - 'nicer' fence, hedge, or whatever)

[Huggers]

Five minutes ago and probably still as I write, there is a man with two husky type dogs plus an alsation in the dog free area. That's a lot of potential poo.

My dog got freaked out straight away as one of the huskies ran towards him (he is a bit of a drama queen) and he left the park at full speed into adys road. Luckily a brave passer by grabbed him.

I did shout 'you are in the dog free area' .