I'm very glad to hear that dog owners are required to observe regulations that are designed to protect the non-dog owning majority - but I fear there's little chance of them complying. Dog owners seem always to believe that the rules should only apply to other dogs, not their own dog. So they ignore notices prohibiting dogs from beaches and other public places. They fail to clean up after their dogs, and allow their dogs to roam streets and public places unattended, then blame everyone else if their dog gets into a fight with another, or bites a child, or is hit by a passing car.
Wouldn't it be nice if dog owners would all agree that they should attend training classes with their dogs, that dog ownership should be dependent on a licence gained by passing such a course and that any breach of the rules, such as persistent fouling, noise, aggressive behaviour, flouting of restrictions regarding public places, etc., could result in loss of licence, a heavy fine, and disqualification from ownership?
All that's required is that owners should understand their dog is no different from any other dog, and that they bear the responsibility for its behaviour, its safety, and the safety of other people who use public places.
