MID Devon District Council is planning to ban dogs in parks unless they are on leads.

At present in Crediton keeping dogs on leads applies only in Newcombes Meadow.

In addition, dogs are not allowed in the enclosed children’s play areas.

People have until July 17 to tell the council what they think of the changes proposed.

David and Mary Nation of Crediton recently asked the council how many incidents involving dogs have occurred in each of the parks.

The council said that 129 complaints were logged within 2019/2020 throughout the district and that these were a mixture of dog on dog attacks and dog on person attacks involving dogs, both on and off leads.

Mr and Mrs Nation had to submit a Freedom of Information request to the council for details of the background to these complaints and the response has been surprising.

In the year 2018, out of 55 incidents in the District only nine were in Crediton and three of these were in Newcombes Meadow, where there is already a requirement to keep dogs on leads.

The other six in Crediton occurred other than in parks. A total of 24 involved dog fouling, which is already an offence and only three of these were in Crediton.

In 2019, there were 81 incidents, only five of which were in Crediton.

Four of these occurred other than in parks and the other one was in Newcombes Meadow.

A total of 63 of the 81 cases recorded for the whole of Mid Devon involved dog fouling, as did four of the five, in Crediton.

So far in 2020 there have been 29 incidents, only seven of which were in Crediton.

Six of these seven occurred other than in parks and the exception was in Newcombes Meadow.

A total of 20 of the 29 involved dog fouling, as did five of the seven in Crediton.

Mary Nation said: “Dog fouling is already an offence and dogs have to be kept on leads in Newcombes Meadow under present regulations.

“There have not been any complaints involving dogs in any of our other parks so any new regulations are clearly totally unnecessary.

“If this goes ahead dogs would always have to be on leads in Beacon Park, Cromwell’s Meadow, People’s Park, Southfield Drive, Queen Elizabeth Drive and Victoria Crescent.

“Why is the Council wasting its time trying to foist on us regulations to solve a problem that does not exist?

“I would urge people to write to the Street Scene Services at Phoenix House, Phoenix Lane, Tiverton, EX16 6PP or email: [email protected] asking the council not to change the present regulations.”

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