I HAVE found that Adur District Council is conducting a consultation in respect of its proposed dog control order and the forms are available from the Civic Centre.
I believe this can also be completed online.
I am not sure if I missed the mass of publicity about this, but I do find it strange how few people are actually aware of it.
I went into the council's local office just off Southwick Square and ask
ed for one of these forms.
The blank look quickly made me aware that they had no idea what I was talking about, but I was told they would try to find out about it.
If one was of a certain mind, one might think the council was keeping this as quiet as possible, not making the forms available to the people of Southwick, so the returns give it the result it is after.
Nothing could be further from my mind, of course, but I don't believe the majority of dogs and owners should be excluded because of a tiny minority of selfish people who do not clean up after their dogs.
It seems to be the way the country is heading: because we can not or will not "police" an issue properly, everyone has to be banned from doing it.
What next?
Domestic cats that foul in our parks and verges, racing pigeons?
Give enforcement officers the powers and double or treble the fines; responsible dog owners will be 100 per cent behind you.
Just one final point.
If we have banned dogs from almost every open space, where will the elderly people take their dogs to let them run and have some freedom, or will both be confined to the highways, where they can get some nice petrol fumes into their lungs?
Bruce Spottiswoode
SouthwickNOTE: All letters must include a name and address which can be withheld by request.
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