By Adam Kula

Copyright newsletter

A committee at Ards and North Down Borough Council has agreed a motion moved by Green Party councillors to look into limiting the number of dogs any one person can take out to four at a time, and making sure they stay on their leads at all times. Among those whom the News Letter spoke to was Shannon McAleese, who runs Tails of Joy in Newtownards. The 31-year-old said she has been doing this for almost the last three years. Asked what the effect of the curbs would be, she said: “It’s not a big shock, but it is a bit devastating I guess for the dog walkers that actually care and do have control of their dogs. “I take up to six, but two are always on the lead so it does throw a bit of curve-ball with that limit. “I am very busy and people who are out to work want specific times for their dogs. “If I was to limit my number to four, that then takes more time, more walks, and some dogs might not even get a chance to get out.” As to always keeping them on leads, she said that “80% of my dogs are amazing and love the freedom of being off the lead… it’ll be a bit disappointing”. She added it would be “sad”, particularly for the “high-driven dogs” that crave exercise. Neil Davison of Dogs R Walking, 58, based in Holywood, said of the permanent lead rule: “I suspect there’s some dogs would be unhappy about it, and some dog walkers will also be unhappy that they can’t have their dogs retrieve something.” As for curbing dog numbers, he said that walking a pack of five dogs at £13 per hour would bring in £65, so “the amount you can earn is reduced if you go to four” (but he added that walkers struggle to get insurance to cover five any more than five dogs at a time anyway). Robert Dougherty, 62, of Walk N Wagz, based in Bangor, said: “I prefer to walk four or five dogs, max, but there are times when you’re trying to help people out and are landed with six. “When I take six dogs out, I always make sure they’re on leads when they’re around people and the public. We get to somewhere like a private field or somewhere like that, I’ll let them off to have a good runaround. “But I have to agree – there are some walkers out there that maybe have six, seven, sometimes eight dogs, and they don’t pick up poo after them, and let the dogs run even when there’s other people walking around with their dogs… “The fact they’d have to be on leads at all times is going to be a bit of a problem. Dogs need exercise – they need to get off the lead and have some fun. “I do know various places I’d take the dogs where I know there’s no-one about, and I’d let them off. “If I have to walk only four dogs at a time, it is going to have an impact on what I can earn. “I charge £12 an hour, so if I have four dogs that’s £48 for the hour, and petrol comes out of that as well: you’re picking four dogs up from different addresses. It’s not really a big earner. “So it will affect all of us dog walkers I think to be honest with you.” At the September 3 meeting of the Ards and North Down’s environment committee, the chamber unanimously supported the call by Green councillors Lauren Kendall and Barry McKee. Their motion stated: “Excessive numbers of dogs being walked simultaneously can lead to increased risk of dog fights, interference with other park users, fouling, and uncontrolled behaviour.” The motion called for the council to produce a report, breaking down the cost of “limiting the number of dogs that any one person may be in charge of to a maximum of four at any given time in public spaces,” and “mandating that professional dog walkers must have dogs on leads at all times to ensure dog control and accountability for dog behaviours”. The council has the power to introduce such restrictions under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environments Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. The report must also state the cost of a “public education campaign to inform residents, recreational and professional dog walkers about the new limit”, and “promoting responsible dog control” generally. The motion also called on the council “to write to the DAERA minister to ask him to introduce, and provide funding support to councils to enforce, mandatory registration of professional walkers to help to ensure suitable animal welfare standards, the provision of suitable training, experience, insurance and public safety”. Many local authorities across the UK, including Belfast City Council, have introduced limits on the number of dogs that may be walked at one time. If a person is caught in control of more than four dogs at one time in Belfast, they can receive a £80 fixed penalty notice, and the council website states: “If you have a dog, you must keep it on a lead in public places in Belfast.”