So, I was given a leaflet when I was out with Luna this morning. I know they're tightening up on fouling in public places, which I'm all for (the tightening, not the fouling!) and so was quite pleased to see this commune official being proactive. Until I read the leaflet. Don't get me wrong, there's plenty of good stuff in there, but also some really annoying things. For example, I can get fined €200 for using some of the pistes I use between November and April. I only go on these paths before they open for the skiing public, so what harm am I doing? It's also restricted a walk I did just yesterday, through the woods. It's not skiable terrain at all, just used occasionally for a spot of snow shoeing. Also, the fine for your dog urinating on roads, paths etc is the same as the fine for them pooing! €300! What am I supposed to do, carry a roll of kitchen paper with me and mop up if they go?? Finally, I can be fined €100 for feeding them in public. What the actual ... ?!
That IS sausage! Especially the bit about wee. I wish we could have more policing for the poo-fines here. As far as I know, no-one has EVER been fined, yet the anti-dog brigade are very vocal about dog poo, rightly - blaming every dog owner, wrongly.
Maybe you should check who wrote those rules up? Maybe it's a joke? It sounds like a joke. My sister has found large NO Trespassing signs on a golf course we used to tobaggan at when we were kids, and that's a long time ago. She's been dog walking there out of golf season, it has some lovely hills and bush areas. Now she can't. Her guess is the dog walking population has burgeoned and it's due to people not picking up poop and walking on the greens and damaging them in wet weather with little snow cover. I bet it's similar for you, other people are wrecking it. I used to have permission to take my dog to ski at two cross country places when they'd had a dump of snow and were not groomed or track set yet. WE didn't hurt a thing but both told me we had to stop because other people followed and didn't use it as we did. I've lost permission on private property too, because of people following my tracks in the snow.
This is utterly ridiculous , beyond reason ! The poo, yes, but the weeing and feeding is the daftest most bizarre thing x
It does sound rather unenforceable. Especially the weeing and feeding one. I mean, really. Is there anyone you can talk to about it? I feel your pain about being restricted on walks - dogs are not allowed on the cross country ski trails here, which is understandable as I know all the work that goes into grooming them for skiing. But it does cut out a great place for walks in the winter.
No. I'm not overly bothered about the feeding and weeing. Of course I already stop Shadow from weeing on "things" as and where it's practical. No way am I going to stop training with food. I'll have to stop using the ski tracks, though. People are awful at picking up here - they think I'm stupid for doing it. So any dogs that were taken on the ski hill would probably have left mess which wouldn't have been picked up. I have to say, I never saw any, though. There aren't that many people daft enough to walk up those slopes It's annoying, though, because the circuit I did a couple of times a week, whilst a complete killer, was brilliant for some "proper" exercise. Poop.
Stupid dog laws abound. They are usually created by people who have never had a dog and don't understand them (or their people) in the slightest. And often it only serves to make dog behaviour worse - not the pick up your poo one (that I agree with) but closing down areas until there is no where left to take your dog for a decent walk, especially off-lead. That makes for stressed out unsocialised dogs...also makes ME want to smack someone. So sending empathy your way. The food one I can explain in the context of many places I've been, but not sure if it would apply to your area. In France or Italy, I would say it is to find a way to fine or somehow get rid of homeless people with dogs, of which there are always loads. They are the only ones who properly feed their dogs in public and I can see some lawmaker say, "Mmmm...this is how we can get them!".
Could be Holland....We have to have an identification with us when the blue brigade makes you stop. We have to carry bags with us to prove you clean up after your dog has pooped. There are a lot of areas where dogs are not allowed, small areas where they are allowed to walk off lead. For instance we have a very small stroke of land between two heavy traffic roads where they may walk off lead. When it rains you can't walk there because of very deep puddles...Fines are as high as yours!
What I'm all for fines for non cleaning up of poo but really, wee, ridiculous. I know what you mean about fellow dog owners thinking you are mad for cleaning up, I get the same reaction. I am, however very proud to carry my biodegradeable green poo bags x
OK, so I'm going to temper this with the good stuff (until I make good on a proper rant). So, good stuff: The fines for not picking up poo. That your dog has to be on lead on any road (including rural roads), on public transport and in public buildings. That dogs must wear ID tags. That dogs must be registered with the authorities (both at a local and governmental level) - I know this is weird for UK folk, but I'm all for it. That you must produce the ID documents for your dog at the local government offices if asked by an official. That dogs are not allowed to roam in any official "gardens", playgrounds or sports pavilions. That all reasonable means must be made to ensure that dogs don't create a nuisance to neighbours at any time of the day or night, and that between the hours of 2200 and 0800, must not be left unattended in gardens, on balconies, terraces (etc) if they are likely to cause problems to neighbours. All of these have various fines between €100 and €300. But, get this. One other is that: "All animals, which may reasonably be viewed as dangerous, must wear a muzzle, and must not be handled by a child under the age of 18". That sounds reasonable (other than, what constitutes the criteria). No-one could possible argue against muzzling potentially dangerous dogs, though. Or that they shouldn't be supervised by a child, right? The fine for that, though? TWO hundred euros. The fine for weeing in public? THREE hundred euros.
