Re: Seapoint Swimmers
Dear Sir,
I was astonished to discover that a group
describing itself as the ‘Seapoint Swimmers’ has petitioned the council to purge
Seapoint, Sandycove and Salthill beaches of dogs, at all times, and without
exception.
This kind of lobbying is wholly objectionable.
No group has the right to privatise public space, excluding individual members
of the community on the thinnest of pretexts, let alone personal and psychological
ones.
The same wearily familiar objections have
been wheeled out yet again: that dogs are a fouling nuisance and a persistent
menace to the safety and well being of any human unfortunate to come within
their proximity.
Obviously the Seapoint Swimmers are too
busy to let a few bothersome facts interfere with their prejudices: dog attacks
are vanishingly rare and none have taken place on these beaches at all. The
vast majority of responsible pet owners have their dogs under control at all
times, so the spectacle of some canicular torrent sundering the limbs of anyone
in its way owes much more to fevered imagination than recorded fact.
The same goes for fouling: most dog owners
are scrupulous in removing their dogs’ leavings, and are even more sensitised
to the need to do so on beaches. There are some, regrettably, who let the side
down, and dog owners would be the first to shop these reprobates. But it’s
simply unacceptable policy to inflict draconian punishments on an entire sub-group
without even exploring the alternatives.
The Dogs
Unleashed campaign is a powerful association with both the means and the
motivation to ensure responsible dog ownership is embedded at all levels and in
all locations. Rather than indulging the absurd panic-mongering of the Seapoint
Swimmers and their private phobias, I strongly urge you to consult with the one
mainstream body capable of making a lasting difference to all stakeholders.
There are times when dog owners, quite
rightly, feel worn down with all this needless vilification.
Yours faithfully
