The District Council are putting up posters in Sweyne Park, Hockley Woods and Cherry Orchard Country Park with the following wording:
Responsible Dog Walking in Rochford?s Woods, Parks and Open Spaces
The Council believes that the woods, parks and open spaces should be enjoyed by everyone, but occasionally we do get complaints regarding the behaviour of some dogs or their owners in these areas.
We would like to take this opportunity to point out the most common complaints that we receive.
? Dog Fouling – This is one subject that irritates lots of people, including many dog owners! We all know that it?s not very nice to walk in dogs mess, so please make sure that when you take your dog for a walk that you take bags or poop scoops to clear up after your dog and dispose of it in the dog bins provided or take it home and put it in your non recyclables bin.
? Controlling your Dogs – The woods and open spaces are ideal places to exercise your dog, but please respect other users of these areas. Not everyone likes dogs and even if you think that your dog is good and wouldn?t hurt anyone, other people don?t know that. Please make sure that you have control of your dog at all times and if necessary put your dog on a lead. This is especially important if you are approaching families with young children or people riding horses.
? Multiple Dog Walking – We have received calls from non dog walkers, especially in Hockley Woods, when they come across groups of people walking several dogs or even one person walking several dogs, as they find this very intimidating. Rochford District Council does not restrict the number of dogs that people walk in the district, but please respect other users of these areas who may not be not be confident around dogs or who may simply not like dogs jumping up on them, please make sure that you have full control of these dogs and if necessary, put them on leads.
? Lost/Stray Dogs – Please make sure that your dog has a collar with your name and address inscribed on it or on a tag or plate on the collar, (This is still a legal requirement, even though we strongly recommend getting your dog micro chipped as well) so that if it gets lost, it can be returned to you as soon as possible.
To enable you to enjoy the woods and open spaces within the district, it is necessary for them to be managed by our Woodland and Open Spaces Officers or their Contractors. Sometimes, this involves the use of machinery within these areas. This type of work is essential to maintain the woods in the best possible condition. Please put your dog on a lead when approaching such works or take an alternative route.