Owners limited to walking six dogs and kept on leads at 32 spaces

DOG owners are being advised to have their say before a council implements plans to limit their use of parks.

Brent Council is consulting on curbing the number of dogs under an owners control, banning them from games areas and play grounds and most controversially insisting they are kept on leads in 32 of the borough’s public parks and spaces.

But dog owners warned of vilification and the importance of letting their pets off the leash.

Happy Birthday, of Chambers Lane, Willesden, who set up dog-walkers website Dodadog.com, said: “These people shouldn’t be vilified; dog owners are the eyes and ears of the community.

“We need parks in Brent for dog owners. It needs to be exercised and able to socialise otherwise they can become dangerous.

“And elderly people can only get to their local parks so if they are restricted they can’t walk to them.”

The Kennel Club, a national organisation that offers advice and welfare on dogs, has said the proposals may put dogs’ health at risk.

Caroline Kisko, the Kennel Club’s communications director, said: “We strongly recommend that the council considers more measured options in the first instance.

“All dog owners have a legal obligation to fully exercise their dogs under the Animal Welfare Act 2006. If the areas available for essential off-lead access are limited across the borough, the dog owners of Brent could be at risk of compromising the health and welfare of their dogs.”

But the Council defended the plans saying some of the proposals are already in place while leads would be only be mandatory in smaller parks.

However a spokesman said the main issue was limiting the number of dogs being walked at any one time to 6.

The consultation can be viewed on the Council’s Parks website at www.brent.gov.uk/parks and ends on February 28.