Dog owners fight ban

DOG owners in Creswell are barking mad over an order which will ban them walking their animals on parish land.

Elmton with Creswell Parish Council will bring in Dog Control Orders from 1st January, banning dogs completely from several parks and playing fields.

The Parish Council said the order will tackle the growing problem of dog fouling in Creswell and Elmton.

But a petition against the proposed order gathered around 300 signatures, suggesting dog walkers in the villages disagree.

“It is wrong to ban all dogs from the green spaces because of the few who don’t clean up,” said dog owner Peter Hodgkinson, of Skinner Street, Creswell.

“I’m totally disgusted and appalled.”

“Our attempts to discuss it with the parish council have been ignored.”

In Creswell dogs will be totally excluded from playing fields at Wood Avenue, East Street and Welbeck Street, Skinner Street Cemetery, Markland Campus.

Restrictions are also in place at Morven Street Allotments, Creswell Bowls Club the sports arena at the Old Colliery Cricket Ground, Fox Green in Creswell and Elmton Village Green.

Speaking on behalf of the parish council, clerk Bill Elliott said the situation called for an all-out approach, not half measures.

“We are not against dogs and their owners, only the mess and danger some have caused.”

He said the parish council had invested in sports and recreation areas, but were ‘greatly disgusted’ that health was being put at risk by irresponsible dog owners.

Mr Elliott said Creswell had already seen a case of toxocara canis, a parasite in dog faeces which can cause human blindness.

The parish council will meet with dog owners in January to discuss whether they can work together toward a solution.

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