But surely these laws are only going to be enforcable if you know who the dog owner is which presumably means it will be reliant on people reporting anti-social dog owners? I would like to think that the more responsible dog owner does clean up after but if they don't and they are caught red-handed (so to speak!!) what can be done? The chances are this sort of order will only be effective in a park or communal area that is patrolled and even then if you ask their name and address, how will you know the correct one has been given? You can hardly impose an immediate fine (could call it an on-the-drop fine)! Laws/bylaws are only any good if they can be enforced and I don't see how this one can be, certainly not for dog fouling anyway. There have been other postings about problems with inappropriate people being allowed to own dogs, and believe me I am an ardent animal lover who would not wish any harm to come to any living creature, but surely one way to stop at least some of this anti-social animal ownership is to bring back dog licenses? Now before anybody shouts at me I know this will in itself create problems, what happens to a dog if somebody is found not to have a licence; to some people a dog is their only companion and they may not be able to afford it etc etc. What I do know is where I live I am seeing more and more young people with dogs that are obviously being used as a form of status symbol and it is not being looked after properly.
Carol Burge ● 6678d