Local park - ban on dogs

Our local Parish are discussing banning dogs due to people not picking up after their dogs.

This was discussed and abandoned about a year ago after the local dog owners inundated the Council website with complaints.

We didn't only do that but also pulled up people for not picking up after their dogs ( and I personally received abuse from one woman ) and a group of us that meet with our dogs on a weekend also share this roll as we walk our dogs together.

Trouble is that the problem is exacerbated now that the dark nights approach and people who do not pick up can sneak into the field without risk of detection.

In my opinion, at the moment, dog mess is rare and from experience, I may see one pile of poop in the field ( about three acres ) and then not every day.

There are signs on every entrance to the field since the last discussions took place and they have obviously persuaded some walkers to see the errors of their ways ( but not the local foxes who are illiterate )

Has anybody gone through a similar problem or got any suggestions that may persuade a non dog owning Parish Council to change their opinion ?

Morning walks depend on the use of this field as the alternatives in the dark are just not suitable to let the dogs run and get some exercise.

If you check out the website of your local council, you will see (hopefully) that you are allowed to put in your objections just like you did before, but I suppose that's all you CAN do really? There's more force with numbers, so why not get up a petition and go round your whole area getting people to sign and then put it to them? What about your local MP, maybe send a copy to him along with your concerns.

I was checking all this out yesterday but for a different reason, and my council too, has in fact enforced these new dog control orders, whereby they have banned dogs from almost every park in the local town. Thankfully, it hasn't happened yet in the village where I live, and again, it's ALL because of lazy owners not picking up!

We have done most of that except for contacting the MP.

That will definitely be a consideration when/if they put it to the vote.

Set up a group of dog walkers who are willing to pick up other people's poop? As irritating as that is...it may be the only thing that swings it for you.
We regularly pick up other people's poop...we see it as a 'random act of kindness'

Are there enough bins? Is there a Neighbourhood Watch Scheme? Are there CCTV cameras? Until these have been provided, it is too drastic to simply ban people who contribute to the upkeep of the park through their Council Tax.

Good points ! There are only two bins at one end of the field adjacent to two exits but nothing adjacent to the remaining three exits.

Unfortunately this might be irrelevant as our Borough Council are considering getting rid of ALL of the bins and getting dog walkers to use the regular bins btu people are voicing health concerns over this.

CCTV only covers one end of the park to protect the village hall and would this be of any use in the dark ?

It really annoys me that those who don't pick up after their dogs ruin things for those of us who do. There are huge piles of poop on the grassy area in front of my flat and if I find out which owner isn't picking up after their dog I WILL report them.

TBH this goes further than the simple save money by banning them idea. If there are no dog walkers there will be increased vandalism because no-one will deter the vandals. There will need to be increased police patrols or cameras.
And it won`t halt fly-tipping or littering. Believe it or not - the most crap left about is deposited by humans. The local beach is pretty much unusable after a Bank Holiday.

http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/kcdog

Thanks for the link SB