Fury over dog ban sparks rethink plea

The members of Hotham Park Heritage Trust have asked Arun District Council to be able to mediate a fair result to the outcry which has greeted the plans.

Rosemary Warren, the trust's chairman, said dogs had been allowed to run free around the park for more than 50 years.

Those who enjoyed that right saw the intended new law as an unnecessary draconian measure.

"It is the trust's view that, in the first instance, serious attempts should be made to monitor nuisance dogs and warn the owners they will be penalised if they do not conform," she stated.

This would ensure that the minority of owners with nuisance dogs would be penalised rather than the majority whose dogs caused no problems.

She stated: "If, ultimately, the democratic process fails and this new law is forced through, then the district council should provide a large fenced-off area in the park where owners can continue to allow their dogs to run free."

Arun's consultation about its proposed dog control orders, including need for dogs on leads in the park, ends next Thursday, April 2.

The council's intention is also to ban dogs from around the boating lake, new conservation area and children's playground.

Mrs Warren added that the trust also questioned why Hotham Park was the only area under Arun's control to be subjected to the new law. Other designated areas bore no comparision to the size of the park.

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