Walk the dog – or be fined

23 Apr 2009 08:02
DOG OWNERS in a Spanish city must walk their animals for at least 20 minutes a day or face fines of up to 400 euros.
Authorities in Girona are introducing the bylaw in a bid to strengthen animal protection laws.
The new rules are also designed to cut down on neighbourhood disputes
by fining people whose dogs bark for hours because they have been left
home alone. Last year, more than 300 complaints were recorded about
neighbours’ treatment of animals.
Fines will also be issued to people who leave their dogs tied up for
more than six hours a day, or keep them in cramped conditions for
prolonged periods.
Those who allow their dogs off the lead, or to jump in public
fountains, ponds or streams could be fined up to 500 euros. Feeding
strays dogs and cats in the street could mean a fine of up to 150 euros.
The regulations have been branded ‘absurd’ by some owners
and authorities said fines would be imposed only in the case of
disputes.
“We will not be going from house to house to enforce these rules,” said a city council spokesman.
“But we now have the means to penalise owners who are found negligent following a complaint from a neighbour.”

So the dogs cannot go off lead :thinking: or is that just in the town?

They should be walked, far to many people, everywhere don't bother.

it's sad for the strays because they depend on human kindness to feed them :sadd:

i think its a bloomin good idea, just a shame about the stray dogs though, what will happen to them, if no one feeds them they could well resort to killing livestock or raiding peoples bins

Poor dogs. This is an awful situation. On the one hand, they do need the exercise, on the other, these are people who obvious dont have a clue how to care for dogs properly. All I can say is, its a good thing they arent allowed offlead

Yea but what about the people there who are responsible owners, (bound to be some lol) it's the same old thing, the bad spoil it for everyone else.

In our area, and this really pisses me off............


They have been going on about dog fouling, and keeping dogs on leash, it bugs the shit out of me, coz we have 2 area's to exercise the dogs right by my house. 1 is all nice with a river, kids park, football pitch etc that is mowed and has bins. The other, is a tip, over grown, no kids go there other than hoodie drinkers who smash bottles, no bins. Why can't they leave us up on the tip alone? we pick up the poo, carry it home. They are saying that there is poop by the slides in the other park..............well we all know who's fooking dogs poop there, the mothers who take the kids to the park and take the dogs into the railed, gated park coz we all see them in there all the time. :2431: Rant over

Oh, no, I meant, these people who dont know how to look after their dogs that a law makes them walk them, those dogs would be causing huge problems for everyone else if they allowed them offlead. I hate unbehaved offlead dogs more than anything I'm hoping they have somewhere they can allow them off though.

As for the whole onlead offlead thing, I think its wrong that dogs seem to be required onlead more and more and get less time where they can offlead. How can we be responsible owners if we have an outright ban on allowing dogs to run together? Its needs to be alot more balanced. The problem with that though, is you will get stupid people ruining the offlead parks cos thats all they do, let their untrained dog off in the dog park and let it do what it likes.

I was reading the other day in America, instead of banning dogs on parks, some of the parks are making the least busy times, times when you can take your dogs (offlead) and having more wardens etc about to make sure people are picking up etc. I think this has some scope to work if tweaked a bit

I think they should have peak times with dogs on lead , off peak with dogs offlead and lots of dog wardens, in parks where kids play. Everywhere else should be left for people to be sensible

I agree with ya hun, but I do fear that the Uk is becoming such a 'nanny state' that there will be a time in our 'lifetime' that we will have to keep our dogs on lead all the time.