Dog walkers face new regulations

It is a common sight in London's parks - professional walkers struggling to cope with large groups of dogs.

Now a ban is being proposed that could see dog walkers in court if they exercise more than four animals at a time without a licence.

Wandsworth council decided to act after receiving complaints from other dog owners, parents and walkers. It is asking the Government to allow a by-law covering Battersea Park, Wandsworth Common, Falcon Park and Hillbrook Park, all used by professional dog walkers charging between ?10 and ?20 a day.

Kathy Tracey, the council's cabinet member for the environment, said: "People are too frightened to visit parks because they are terrified of large packs of dogs running wild." She also claimed some professional dog-walkers failed to clear up after the dogs, creating a health hazard.

The council hopes to introduce the restrictions early next year, requiring walkers who wish to exercise four or more dogs at a time to apply for a licence. Applicants would be assessed by the council's dog control unit to ensure they could control the number of dogs they planned to exercise.

The licence would specify how many dogs could be walked at a time, and which parks they could use. It may also include time restrictions to prevent popular open spaces being taken over by packs of dogs at peak times. The licence would be free, but failure to obtain one would put dog walkers at risk of prosecution in a magistrates' court.

Tim White, whose K9 Capers dogwalking agency includes Wandsworth, supports the initiative and offered to help police it. He said tests showed four dogs was the maximum a walker could safely control, adding: "The difference a fifth dog makes is astounding."

But he said the restrictions could be "nigh on impossible" to enforce, adding: "The wardens or parks police would have to ascertain whether the walkers are professionals or individuals, and whether they have a licence."