I congratulate you on an excellent Comment column (Dog plans littered with confusion, H&H March 15), the most pertinent comment being contained in your last paragraph: The real mystery is, why does this particular council feel the need, in the year 2007
I congratulate you on an excellent Comment column (Dog plans littered with confusion, H&H March 15), the most pertinent comment being contained in your last paragraph: ''The real mystery is, why does this particular council feel the need, in the year 2007, to interfere with what has been a perfectly acceptable social pursuit for time immemorial?''
Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog not on a lead on a public highway.
Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog not wearing a collar bearing the name and address of the owner in a public place.
Under the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog fouling in public.
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (section 3) it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog which is dangerously out of control in a public place.
All of the above regulations should be perfectly adequate to deal with irresponsible dog owners. I would suggest that any problems of dog control and dog fouling which persist say more about the inadequacies of the Constabulary and council officers than the inadequacies of Camden by-laws.
Councillors Moffitt and Greene (H&H letters March 15) say: there were more than 80 incidents involving out of control dogs in Camden-run parks alone in 2006. On the council website it says that the council manages ''around 70 parks and open spaces.''
Just 80 incidents in 70 parks and open spaces? I think we need a lot more information about where these incidents happened, and their seriousness, before we start to panic about being over-run by out of control dogs.
A Farlow
Lyndale Avenue, NW2
Given the council's desire to unreasonably tether all dogs regardless of the fact that the majority are well trained and are in the hands of responsible owners - I have a solution
Using the council's logic, I think it is about time we tethered all the councillors.
They seem untrained, unwilling to abide be socially acceptable guidelines and are fighting the innocent bystanders and leaving a trail of mess behind them.
Let's put them on the lead. No debate, no reason, let's not research it and apply existing rules. Let's just tar them all with same brush and find a blanket solution. Job Done.
Gordon Muir
(Student) North Road, N6
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