DOGS THAT FOUL SHOULD BE SHOT ON SIGHT.
It really is time that dog owners who allow their animals to foul our pavements to have their dogs taken away and shot.. None of the campaigns that victims of dogs have set up seem to have worked because the people who permit their horrible pets from spreading their disgusting waste everywhere and causing a serious health problem couldn't care less. The owners should be jailed and banned from keeping animals for life. My daughter has just fallen victim to the pavement menance and I would like to throttle the animal responsible. No dog should be kept in a town. It is cruel. Dogs are for the countryside and the obsession with keeping them in confined spaces is ludicrous. And the homes of dog owners stink, too. Dirty old blankets, hairs, faeces stains everywhere, mainly invisible. Isn't it about time a £1,000 licence fee was introduced to minimise the number of dogs fouling our streets? If they didn't exist and were not bred it would not happen. I am so angry about what has happened this morning. No dog should be in a place where children go, and certainly not on any of our beaches. Dogs on the beach? Get the dog warden out and shoot them! I'd like to do it myself. Farmers can do it to sheep worriers and those who spook cows, so why can't the public when their health is threatened by dogs and their owners?

By ROOMATTHETOP at 10:12 on 02/01/12

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Are you for real?

By ilfjo at 10:15 on 02/01/12
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Yes, I am for real. And so is the health of my children who have found dog faeces on their hands and feet both in Bicclescombe Park and on the beaches at Wildersmouth and the Harbour. It can cause blindness and food poisoning. Why do you think dogs are banned from restaurants, shopping malls, most beaches and and other places that need to be kept germ and bacterium free? For fun? We have farming in our ancestry and when my brother sees a stray dog, i.e., one not on a lead because the owners think it perfectly alright to run all over the place, it gets one warning shot to warn the owner, and then another to stop it causing havoc. Time is given so that it can be put on a lead. There is too much animal sentimentality in Britain. You shoot a dog and all hell is let loose. You ill-treat children, and nobody gives a damn. In China they eat dogs. Perhaps if you feel strongly enough about that then perhaps you can demonstrate your feelings by boycotting all manufactured goods made in that country.

By ROOMATTHETOP at 11:35 on 02/01/12
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ROOMATTHETOP I could not agree with you more.
The Dog situation in North Devon is out of control.
I have written to the Council and local papers a few times about
this problem, I even included pictures and I was never replied to
by the council. I have even spoken personally to the local dog warden.
I pick up my children on occasions from the local school and see large dogs
around the gates. Really do all dog owners have full control over these pets?
Me personaly im scared of dogs, so why do I have to worry
when I walk around.
It seems that a large majority of dog owners are totally oblivious
to the impact there lack of responsibility is causing to our
streets. Also the contribution to the filth our children are
living in.
I have noticed that some people who do pick up the mess then find it
acceptable to leave the poo bag on the floor or better still hanging from
hedgerows or just left ontop of a wall/post.
The Tarka Trail a major problem, dog mess is every where.
Something needs to be done.

By Ilf08 at 15:59 on 02/01/12
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Walking past the Ilfracombe Infant & Nursery School early this morning(the path at the back of Windsor Court),i encountered the usual menace,a dog faeces in the middle of the path.
The School was closed but children were around at the time,on new bikes etc & being only 1 metre away from the School the owner `most probably` allowed the dog to fowl & did it with a smile on there face,its called "rubbing OUR noses in it".
Yes,they do eat dogs in China & North Korea(it has a fixed price of 100 Won per kilogramme)/,i hear that a Chihuahua in Chilli Sauce is very tasty.

By skareggae72 at 16:16 on 02/01/12
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The cretins and simpletons who allow their dogs to use our sidewalks and recreation areas as a canine toilet area are no doubt the first to bellyache about seagull poo all over their windscreens. At least the seagulls hoover up all the chips and burgers left everywhere by holidaymakers' kids. Quite honestly, why don't the Dogs' Trust in the High Street send out teams of volunteers to clean up the streets if they love this species so much. I feel like bagging up all of it I find, including the bags dumped in hedges, and delivering the whole lot to their shop. In Britain, charities like Dogs' Trust, the RSPCA and Pony Rescue get more money than cancer research and the NSPCC. That exemplifies the British attitude to our fellow men. Dogs are domesticated for the selfishness of humans who for some reason have to have a four legged flea trap bounding around their homes. No wonder they smell like London Zoo during a heatwave.

By ROOMATTHETOP at 17:14 on 02/01/12
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This is a bit of an extremist view! Surely it is the responsibility of the owners to clean up after their pets and not the fault of a poor dumb animal? I agree that not everyone should be allowed to be a dog owner as so many people are irresponsible, and especially for potentially dangerous dogs people should have to have a licence.

By sailorgirl99 at 17:16 on 05/01/12
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Shoot the owners not the dogs!

By crazyPete10 at 20:22 on 08/01/12
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A very extreme view. There are responsible dog owners and those who are irresponsible as in all walks of life. I know an elderly widow who walks her dog and is very particular to clean up any mess - a dog is often a companion for many elderly people. What are you to do about dogs for the blind, police dogs etc. To use commonsense, dog owners should pay a good price for a licence, and fouling must result in prosecution and attract a heavy fine. As others have said, it is not the dog, it is the owner - no, I do not own a dog.

By jemma14 at 15:38 on 09/01/12
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Jemma14. I do agree with you. There are some countries in which stray dogs are regularly shot because of the fear of rabies and other diseases that can be spread by unregulated, undomesticated and ownerless animals. Dogs are shot in the UK when they worry livestock and it's the right thing to do. But we have to keep them out of public places, such as beaches and parks. Everywhere you go on the Med, and now in the vast majority of seaside resorts in the UK, dogs are banned on the beaches. Why is it only Ilfracombe that resists this ban? I agree, too,that there are responsible dog owners - keeping any animal, whether it be cat, dog, horse or rhinoceros confers a public responsibility to ensure that it doesn't impact on the neighbourhood, but in Ilfracombe, the dog problem is getting out of hand. I took issue with an owner the other day who thought it was OK to bring a dog into a greengrocer's in the High Street. Why? It's a food shop, for God's sake. Try it in Tesco and see how far you get. I cannot think of a worse companion for the elderly. They have to be fed, with rising pet food prices, they have to be taken for walks, they make the house smell for visitors, they cost a fortune in vets' bills unless insured, and then they have to be re-homed or destroyed when the owner wants to go into a residential or nursing home. A dog is not an ideal pet, and it is unfair to keep them in an urban environment which is completely unnatural for any social animal.

By ROOMATTHETOP at 11:15 on 10/01/12
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I wasn't talking about elderly people in general but elderly widows/widowers who have had a dog for years and on finding themselves alone, the dog is a companion.

I do agree with you that we should ban dogs from Ilfracombe beaches, Hele in the summer is particularly blighted.

By jemma14 at 17:02 on 10/01/12
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I thought I would give this topic a bump as there is an active thread on the Ilfracombe Centre forum on the same topic. For some reason the admin over there refuse to allow me to contribute, but you may want to add your voices. If that forum was overwhelmed by people making clear their disgust about the way a small number of dog owners operate, the councillors might take note and see this issues as the priority it is. The tourist season is almost upon us and on this issue I agree - Ilfracombe has a problem that is out of scale with similar towns and needs to dealt with.

By LanternView at 15:05 on 29/02/12
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Yes, virtually every seaside resort in the UK now seriously restricts dogs on their beaches during the summer because they have to comply with Blue Flag and other safety considerations. Also, in most EU countries, dogs are not allowed on beaches and in some places they don't mess around like Britain does. An official can take the dog away from the owner instantly if that person has allowed it run on the beach uncontrolled, and the fines are large.
All the people who contributed to this thread ought to write to NDDC and request that Ilfracombe beaches be the same as other beaches in Devon and made dog free. Transform is doing its best, but it needs people to press the point. Until recently, dogs were allowed in the cafe at the Landmark, but now they are banned because of complaints. Quite right, too. Who wants dogs sniffing around tables and food areas?

By ROOMATTHETOP at 15:41 on 29/02/12
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Took a walk up Hillsborough the other day-beautiful views as you can see by the pics I posted on here...apart from the dog poo that is! The stuff was everywhere!!!!!

By pigglet77 at 18:38 on 29/02/12
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In some European countrys all dogs in a public area are muzzled (THE LAW SAYS SO) it is better for all if that happens here,the sooner the better in my view.
I know people who have been to war torn countrys but fear roaming/aggressive dogs here in the UK more than snipers hiding in ruined hotels,that is the effect they have on some people.
Going up Hillsborough is like entering a dog pound.

By skareggae72 at 00:11 on 01/03/12
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I think well behaved dogs with responsible owners are fine. My friends have got dogs and they are no trouble to anyone. But Ilfracombe certainly has a serious problem with the stupid owners who think the streets are a dogs' toilet. They won't bring back the dog licence, but they are bringing in mandatory 'chipping' which will be better than a licence. The NDDC website is the place to start nagging the council about this.

By ROOMATTHETOP at 01:44 on 01/03/12
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Ilfracombe can benefit from the pooch pound, as dog owners are much more likely to take holidays in the UK. But I fear many of them will be shocked by the irresponsibility of dog owners resident in Ilfracombe and not want to risk being associated with them. We need a dog owner ASBO - anyone that doesn't clear up after their dog should be compelled to employ a professional dog walker for a period of time, any attempt t to walk their dog themselves should be met with a fine. Anyone not able to afford this sanction will have to have the dog taken away. Yes I know it is a plan full of holes - but something draconian is needed.

By LanternView at 09:00 on 01/03/12
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Okay in fear of being shot down in flames. I am a dog owner. She is three years old and very well behaved. We are responsible owners and clean up after her. althoug you wont like this she loves the beach and we would be really upset not to be able to take her on a beach. we do however respect the rules of the beach and only take her where she is allowed and we clean up any mess. even though we have to carry the bag with us until we finally find a bin. Saying this i get disgusted and annoyed at people who give dog owners a bad name. I am horrified with the mess that is left by owners. And could not believe how bad it was in February when we were there. I also feel that if the council provided more dog bins that would help. I also agree with the microchipping of dogs. As a responsible owner i would pay for a license if needed, although to be honest that would not solve the problem as if you are not responsible you are not going to pay for a license or get you animal micro chipped or worm it and deflea it. So where do you go from there? I would also like to add that our dog has become an important part of our lives and although i will not go into detail, The impact on owning her has increased the quality of our life.

By MilliePink at 11:09 on 01/03/12
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I am also a responsible dog owner who always picks up after my dog wherever I am.I also have 3 kids and like the disgruntled person who started this conversation I am also very fed up with the irresponsible owners.I believe the owners should be find and the council should also be more pro-active. Dog bins always seem full!
I am not a great lover of cats they seem to poo everywhere especially in my garden where my kids play but I would not expect them all to be shot,nor the smoker that puff smoke in your face as you walk pass etc etc
I think for these forums to work sensible suggestions need airing- others maybe reported and removed.

By Helebay at 21:58 on 16/03/12
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Really? Shoot a dog for going to the toilet?? What else are you going to do? Castrate them for breathing!?
I don't think dogs are actually able to use the public toilets in the town (paws and push flushes aren't the best combination) nor are they aware of the social boundries and laws so will, in turn, do as they please! You can't say shoot them as they are doing only as nature intended! Everyone gets caught short, including you ROOMATTHETOP so don't start getting all high and mighty about an animal doing as it should....because you have the same natural reaction to eating, then digesting food!!

On the otherhand, irresponsible dog owners should indeed be punished. It's their fault for a) not training their dogs properly and b) not clearing up after them.

I am fed up of seeing chavvy guys, with their caps and tracky bottoms walking along the high street with their staffies and letting them foul left, right and centre and not clearing it up because it is not cool to do so!
I completely agree that people should have to prove themselves to be responsible people worthy enough of owning an animal (I also think the same should be applied to having kids but that's a whole other discussion)!

As with all other anti-social activities in the town, the wrongdoers have nothing to fear as a consequence so continue to act in such a way. Until they can see that there will be a punishment or consequence they shall continue to ruin the place.

By FullMoonCombe at 15:49 on 07/04/12
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