I know it is reported in the Mail but isn't this just a bit stupid ?

When mine are in full moult ( seems like most if the year !! I always pluck or stroke pulling fur out so would like to see anybody try and give me an on the spot fine ! Good job they werent walking last our house this morning as there would have been a load of fur floating about over the gates !!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2370097/Mother-46-fined-50-littering-brushed-dogs-hair-public-park.html

That's incredibly stupid! It's fur, something natural, not nasty in any way like poo, it will degrade, and yes birds make use of it.  When I lived near parks I always saw people leave dog hair behind and I do it here myself. A couple of days and it's gone.

Ooh - I actually hate seeing people brush their dogs and leave mountains of dog hair in public places :-( I know it's a natural product but it creates a mess and looks unsightly - it blows in the wind and ends up all over the place. I brush my dogs at home - having two double coated and long haired breeds I usually have piles of dog hair when I groom them but always do it at home and usually indoors - my dogs... my mess.

For those who dislike dogs and dog owners I would think it would be yet another black mark they could add to their list of reasons for not liking them.

I'm with Harley on this one..I don't like seeing piles of dog hair strewn on the grass in the parks.It takes forever to biodegrade and not many birds take it away.Usually it's gsd hair,and I can understand why the owner,who probably lives in a flat,comes outdoors to brush their dog.However ,they could easily bag the hair as it comes off. A park  should be everyone's garden..free of dog poo,and a pleasant place to sit for all comers.

It doesn't bother me, dog owners get a rare deal, what about horse poo amd people letting cats out to poo in everyone else garden. Now that annoys me lol. At least with dog hair the birds take it.

I stuff the bird feeders with my GR's hair every spring and the lot goes. When we clear out the bird boxes in the autumn, there are beautifully made nests lined with blonde dog hair and moss.

Jodi..I do the same in my own garden,but don't like seeing the hair strewn around in a public park.The park I use is a city park for people without gardens...I think they deserve to have it free of dog hair etc.
I live in the country so like you we have visiting birds that love my dogs'undercoat for their nests.I feed the birds too and was amazed to learn if I do this in the city parks there is a hefty fine.Apparently it encourages rats.Whod have thought?

You're right about the rats Bellamia. We have a small farm next door who currently have pigs in the barn and consequently, rats. Last year because of the heavy rainfall washing them out of their holes, they went elsewhere to find a dry home, namely my garden walls right by the bird feeders!

Always happening in the park I go, and tbh, I hate it. Great big piles of fluff everywhere, they wouldn't leave it floating about at home so why do it in public. I have groomed my hairy collie out in public, but I collect the fur as I go and put it in a poo bag.

Also, the RSPCB put out a request a few years back not to leave dog fur out for the birds during the nesting season, as baby birds had been found tangled up in it and had actually died.