Illustration by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com

• THANK heaven the City of London is finally tackling the problems of multiple dog walkers in Regent’s Park.

And in response to Anna Farlow’s letter (How will dog owners react when challenged about their ‘unacceptable behaviour’?, December 10), I had tried to have a “pleasant walk” in the park last week after undergoing spinal injury and returned home traumatised.

This lady in question only had two large dogs running wild. She used an implement to throw a ball down the path and it came towards me. I turned around to ask the woman to keep the ball on the grass and then the dog jumped up on to my chest.

The woman defended the dog saying that it was “only being friendly”, and “******* get a life”. This was on the broad walk. I ended up back in bed with spinal spasms.

The problem so often is that there is five to 10 per cent of walkers who are the culprits and ruin it for those respectful others.

These are the ones who value their dogs much more over human beings and often look for long grass where the dogs can disappear as they do their fouling.

But I would mention the poor man who has been out with his six poodles on a lead for 50 years as an example of where the number of dogs is irrelevant – and special cases should be permitted as long as a person can be sure to catch each dog fouling.

It is the attitude of the walkers that is mostly concerning. If a human being were to commit the offences that dogs are often permitted to do then this would be deemed as abuse.

Some of the offenders? Those walkers who so often are distracted by mobile phones and who miss their dogs fouling the football pitches. I was sworn at once for pointing out that the area would not permit dogs.

This has been reported regularly but nothing is done. On-the-spot fines are ignored because people know that they never happen. Now there are more dogs than ever as people seem to want them to offset the isolation of Covid.

I saw a woman use wet wipes to wash dog mess from their baby’s hand during the summer while out picnicking, which saddened me more than anything. Why aren’t we more like Europe – they won’t tolerate it why do we?

And look at areas where dogs are not permitted. Last Sunday, for example, the rose garden was filled dogs. I saw three going in together at one point, one ran wild around the beautiful pond. Is that now another place I can’t go into and now dogs can?

Roles have been reversed. There is never anyone around. I have long since given up on park management. The police do a one-off round but seldom watch the entrances of the inner circle and outer circle at Chester Gate.

On-the-spot fines could contribute to a food bank. Or a dogs’ protection unit; protection from their owners!

SUZANNE B,
NW1