Letter from Our Chairperson to Minister Simon Coveney

Dear Minister Coveney

I write to you as founder and chairperson of Dogs Unleashed, the citizens campaign in DunLaoghaire Rathdown County (DLR), by responsible dog owners, to amend local ‘dog control’ bye-laws that contravene as many as three of the five basic freedoms of all dogs.

DLR are currently reviewing our beach bye-laws and have offered dog owners one concession to allow us to exercise our dogs off-leash, outside designated bathing areas, before 10am and after 7pm. These proposed amendments are quite inadequate, unreasonable, in particular for the elderly and those who are handicapped, as well as being superficial and totally undermining responsible dog ownership. They completely fail to tackle the two key issues of dog fouling and the anti-social minority of irresponsible dog owners who actually allow their dogs to cause any sort of a nuisance or harm to the public.

We understand that the proposed Animal Welfare Bill will enshrine the Five Freedoms to all animals under human care into national legislation and ask you to request the Minister of the Environment to write to our County Manager asking how DLR proposes to accommodate their policies within the remit of the new bill.

As it stands now, 2009 beach bye-laws state that dogs must be on a leash at all times on all beaches

Also, 2003 parks bye-laws state that dogs must be on a leash at all times, with the exceptions of all of Killiney Hill and four undersized and completely inadequate dog areas in Deerpark, Marlay, Cabinteely and Shanganagh parks.

These laws and the proposed amendments stand in opposition to the widely accepted facts that confining a dog to a leash at all times on our beaches and in our parks is detrimental to animal welfare and to their freedom of expression. Vets and companion dog behaviorists advise that all dogs need the freedom to express normal behaviour such as sniffing, chasing, fetching, swimming, and socializing in the company of other dogs while under the effective control of their owners. These professionals further advise limited use of the totally inadequate spaces provided by DLR as harbingers of disease, and causes of physical and mental stress to dogs through concentrated usage. The DSPCA, ISPCA, Dogs Trust and others are supportive of our efforts in this regard.

Dogs Unleashed believes that everyone in society- and particularly those who make laws about them - has responsibilities towards animals. This responsibility depends upon citizens having sufficient knowledge and understanding of the impact of their actions on animal welfare. We have offered to work in partnership with our council and to develop programmes promoting responsible and accountable dog ownership in return for balanced and fair bye-laws that promote the many physical and mental health benefits of dogs in society. However, our offers to cooperate and to work in partnership have, thus far, been largely ignored. 

We ask for your attention to this matter, and invite you to contact us for any further information. We are at your disposal to sit down with you to discuss.

 
Sincerely
   Liz Neligan
 

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  Liz Neligan
  Chairperson
  Ph: +353-87-244 9936 <tel:%2B353-87-244%209936>  <tel:%2B353-87-244%209936>
  www.dogs-unleashed.org <http://www.dogs-unleashed.org>  <http://www.dogs-unleashed.org>