A meeting of dog walkers

Bobby's idea of a good time, needless to say this sofa is out of bounds for dogs. The photos by Phoebe,  have nothing to do with the content of this post.

When I first saw Crufts Dog Show on TV I was appalled by the judges, all battleaxes in skirts made of horse blankets. The more I learnt about the Kennel Club the worse it seemed to be. Today public pressure has meant that certain of their approved breeding practices are being reformed, if at glacial pace. Well done the BBC, declining to broadcast the show which probably has been the biggest catalyst for change and well done the programme Horizon for keeping the pressure on. 

The point of the rant above is that I am wary of professional doggy people en mass. Ironic I guess, as I am a paid up professional doggy person myself now.

Bobby feels Judy should share out her birthday chockies

Judy and I went to a meeting of dog walkers last night to discuss what positive response could be made to Richmond Council’s proposed Dog Order. My uncharitable heart sank when I saw 22 of my fellow dog professionals. I have rarely met a dog walker I did not like, each individual a member of a great breed, loving their charges and the fresh air they walk in. However, collectively it must be admitted, we are all (as Rocco would say) barking mad. 

The meeting was well run by Lucy Bonnett (www.riversidedogs.co.uk) who had talked to David Allistair (head of parks, Richmond Council) and had formed the opinion that the council were deadly serious, not least as other councils had brought in controls so shuffling the vans of rogue dog walkers into Richmond. Lucy chaired the meeting well letting everybody have their say, no matter how barking (see above).

Lucy accepted a cap on numbers of dogs walked by one person was inevitable and it was decided that we should try and persuade Richmond that six was acceptable. Everybody favoured the idea that dog walkers should be licensed but apparently the council thought this would involve great expense. Lucy had drafted a Dog Walker’s Code of Conduct, whereby we would keep to a maximum of six charges, pick up their poo, have public liability insurance etc. We signed-up to this and will try to get other dog walkers not at the meeting to do likewise.

Our friend Penny emphasises the importance of writing to the council but warns that communications must have an address on them else the council will disregard them. So please write to David Allistair (the address is on a previous post) and/or sign the online petition: http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/set-the-dog-limit-at-six