Thing is it might not stay that way even if you think areas more in the countryside wont be affected they well could be in time...Not everyone may be effected right now but lots could be and it is worrying. I live right by the forest and loads of heath land in the countryside and you would think this area wouldn't be effected like yours but it could come to that...the forest and country walks are all still public places as is any walk you can do in the countryside. I hope it never comes to it cuz it will make dog ownership in Britain misserable and it's not right.

I dont have a problem with it at all.

Yes Stormey, I strongly suspect this is a totally new idea of the Council's for the BBC to have picked up on it, they wouldn't hang around 2 months and then make it national news would they? I'm sure they also said, they were "thinking" about it, not that it is definitely going to be a new law anyways. Your Manchester area legislation sounds like it's a definite then? I hope not for all your sakes.

Mys. I do hope you're wrong, but yes, I suppose in years to come when the whole of the South East is covered in yet more concrete we might have a problem, but not in my lifetime, there will always be the South Downs for little ole me to trapse across with my two hooligans! Strange though if they do stop people going to these types of places, coz they've only just given us the right to roam haven't they, so it would be in complete conflict with that???!!! For the time being, I'm happy to just accept things as they are until any new laws are passed, then I might have to think about it, i.e. whether I abide by them or not, depending on what mood I'm in! lol!

Oh I hope this does not come into force round our way, Roxy loves her off-lead run around and I would hate to restrict her to the lead for her entire walk!

This is a sad piece of news and devestating, what next??

yep camden council have bought this legislation out,but i dont think any1 is paying attention 2 it, as i live in camden and my brother was telling me that he was over the park 2day with our dog and he saw loads off dogs offlead and there was police patroling the parks but he didnt see any1 getting stopped.

I have to agree with Dawn on this one but I guess it depends on where you live.

I recently visited my sister in Warrington and we walked our dogs off the lead through our local park. If i'm honest it felt a bit strange having them running around in what I would call a 'public place'.

Where I live (in the middle of nowhere) there's no reason to walk my dogs through the local park or playing fields as there's miles and miles of country walks which (whils't still public spaces) are not really busy recreational areas.

For some people however, especially in built up areas - public spaces such as parks or recreational areas are the only places that dogs can run free to exercise.

As you said phill, parks are often the only place people can let there dogs off for a run and a play and socialize with other dogs and at the end of the day they are "public" parks to be used by the public, and that imo should include letting dogs off if they are trained well. If it happens that dogs have to stay onlead you are most likely to get more case of unsocialized dogs and badly trained dogs. Plus a lot of people may go further out in the country and the quite place you have now will become more busy and the non dog walkers in these areas will kick up a fuss that may lead to dogs being kept on lead in these areas aswell as they are not dealing with the problem of poor trained dogs and owners just moving them on imo

Good points there - you touched on the point about dogs socializing. We're in danger of having a whole bunch of steam train crazy pulling lead bound dogs if you live somewhere they never can be let off.

On another thread a while ago there was a poll - one option (if I remember correctly) was to have a 'test' for dogs and their owners.

Perhaps being off the lead in a public place should be an option for dogs/owners that have proven themselves and hold the required certificate for example - to be displayed when asked ?

I am not sure about a test so to speak, but owners should be held more responsable, with me Star can be let off anywhere, but during busy times i keep him on lead for his and other peoples safety, Skye is the same but she is onlead a bit as her recall is still not 100%, Jake is a bit to playfull when he sees other dogs, so he is let off in a quiet area during quiet times and if there is another dog there i always aske the owners before letting him run.

I also feel there will be a lot more dogs not getting enough exercise as i could walk mine for 2 hours and they would get less than they would from half hour to an hours off lead run. As i said in another thread i think its a knee jerk reaction to all the anti-dog crap in the media at the minute.

You've said it all there mate - you a responsible dog owner who knows who should be on a lead and who doesn't need to be in certain circumstances and locations. If everybody knew their dogs and surroundings well enough we wouldn't all be faced with restrictions enforced to control dogs belonging to owners who are (here's me being PC) less educated.