West Northamptonshire Council rethinks dog control
West Northamptonshire Council has temporarily suspended its new rule banning dog walkers from taking out more than four pets at once until talks with dog walkers can be held.
The rule, part of the council’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), stated that anyone walking more than four dogs in south Northamptonshire and Daventry could be fined £100.
The move attracted a backlash from dog walkers, including a petition that collected more than 800 signatures, who said the rule would kill their business. Molly Everett, who runs Molly 4 Paws, said the business was taking a “massive financial hit”.
She told ITV News: “It’s not been considered, the impact it would have on us, on our customers, on the dogs.”
Catherine Cooney, of Furry Friends Animal Care in Northampton, told the BBC: “I have to do several walks unless I can hire a dog-walking paddock.
“The longer the ban’s in place, then it will affect the finance side of things.”
In response, the council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services David Smith told the BBC: “In order to understand these queries, executive director for place, Stuart Timmiss, and I are in the process of arranging a meeting with representatives for professional dog walkers to discuss the options going forward to support these groups.”
