Northumberland County Council are reviewing dogs control bylaws and, amongst other things, considering banning dogs from some of the county's beaches between May and October.  I have regularly holidayed in Northumbria, mainly because I find it to be the most dog-friendly county in the UK - but if they ban dogs from beaches, I simply won't be going there any more.  Please take a moment to complete the survey on the County Council's website:  http://www2.northumberland.gov.uk/survey/sncne_dog_control_orders___consultation.htm 

> banning dogs from some of the county's beaches between May and October. 

loads of places do this, a lot of local (Suffolk) beaches use this system but you will usually find that it is only between area B to C and you can take dogs onto A-B or C-D with no probs.
People with kids usually use the central area and personally I would rather go to one end or other where it is quieter ie no screaming kids winding dog up, (yes 'grumpy old woman')
Chris

If what I witnessed at Lunan Bay with a woman walking a Ridgeback, yesterday, was anything to go by, more beaches will be doing this too.  She let her dog foul the beach and then kicked sand over it.    As I walked past, I offered her a poo bag and she refused!

> offered her a poo bag and she refused!

Seriously?? I can't believe that..

I have to agree that with people acting in that way it is no wonder dogs are being banned.

How busy do these beaches get in Northumbria during the summer seasons?

I know down my way on a lovely day its heaving and there is no way i'd take a dog on a beach with hoards of people, so putting a ban doesn't bother me as we have many other beaches nearby where dogs are allowed and many people don't go :-D

Northumberland has gorgeous beaches for dogs - would hate to see a ban. :-( On beaches I avoid the busy bits anyway, and dog too busy having fun to want to pester anyone!

There are already areas that are banned during summertime, i love the beaches here for my dog and would hate to see them being banned totally, i think the problem is is there is so much area to patrol it is very hard for authorities to check people are cleaning up after their dogs, i have also seen the sand kicking done and cant understand how people think this is ok!!!

I hope it will just be the most popular tourist beaches and leave some areas of the quieter beaches untouched :)

The beach in Newbiggin has a year round ban. I think they will eventually try to do this with the other beaches here in Northumberland.
I hope not as I love to take my dogs down to the beach , and have to admit I haven't seen anyone NOT clean up after their dogs. Mind the streets around here are a bit different there is mess everywhere , especially the path outside my boys school!
I hope the ban doesn't happen as Northumberland is a lovely place for people to holiday with their dogs , the council need to realise they are going to cause a lot of problems for business' that rely on holiday makers.

TBH I don't see a problem with dogs being banned from bits of the beach.  Broughty Ferry beach which is my local beach has a dog ban from May to September and it is no hardship to use a different part of the beach.  I prefer to stay away from families having picnics and children running about screaming.  If people without dogs choose to venture onto the dog walking bit for a picnic then there is less room for complaining when dogs are running about or digging near them.

I live in Northumberland, near the coast, I have followed the link and completed the survey.

I don't have a problem with any of the proposals for dog control. The Council are only considering restricting sections of some beaches, and I would accept that. On the other points, I don't walk my dogs through any cemetry, or any enclosed childrens play area or school field either. I pick up everywhere.

So I already live by those rules anyway, and I have asked many other dog walkers to pick up their poop. Maybe I should work for the Council.

Dawn R.

PS, I didn't mean for so much of that to come out in bold, sorry.

Just to say - sort of started as a reply to you Dawn R, then digressed, so it isn't a reply so much now, more general thoughts. :-)

I have taken my dogs on public footpaths through cemeteries/graveyards before - on lead, obviously, and making sure they don't cock their leg up where they shouldn't. But leaving that aside (the fact that you may have gone on a walk, using public transport, and have no alternative route, having relied on the footpaths marked on the map) - what if a dog has been somebody's much loved pet, the owner has died, the dog has been taken on by a family member and they want to take the dog with them to visit the grave? I can certainly imagine that. On lead is one thing, a ban is another. And similarly, if a public footpath went across a school field and I was walking the dog (bearing in mind not allowed to drive at the moment) - that could be a problem. There is no need or place for dogs in enclosed children's play areas - that's why they were enclosed in the first place (though I have seen them in there - usually with mothers with small children - and have seen same mothers not pick up after their dogs....).

I don't think anybody wanting to enjoy a walk with their dogs would want to wander through busy beaches at the height of summer!! But the ban includes May, June, September - won't be so bad if you're local, but if you go on holiday there and don't know the area, it can be a nightmare finding which bits have bans/ don't - and I have taken my dog on a beach where dogs are banned before by mistake (checked, couldn't find any signs - it was hidden behind a wheelie bin). And when it's quieter, in the evening/ at night, why should there need to be a dog ban? Not aiming all this directly at you - just general points that have occurred to me from your post. It needs dog owners to be responsible.... I wonder if there's any way we can start getting video footage of offending owners who don't clean up after their dogs on mobile phones, and use it to get them fined? :-D It's the fouling/ people allowing dogs to be a nuisance to others that is the problem - which is more or less what I put when I filled in the survey - agreed with orders for cleaning up after dogs and putting on lead if requested/ as needed in certain areas, disagreed with bans. Wish I'd thought of the cemetery stuff then - it doesn't directly affect me, but I'm sure there are people that have lost loved ones and might well wish to take their dog with them to visit the grave.