Search My Blog | My Blog Entries 26 Jul 2010 16:06 Meeting with Dima 26 Jul 2010 16:04 A couple of things which aren´t in the video ... link: http://www.petstreet.co.uk/films/ Dima arrived with four dogs and immediately pointed out that it was getting hot and there was no shade where the Editor had set up the camera. We suggested that we move to a shadier place and I asked Dima if he had water for the dogs (none of us had dogs with us). Apparently Dima does not think it is a good idea to carry water for dogs on hot days. Interestingly, whilst he told us that his dogs are never more than 40´ away or out of his sight he did not appear to have noticed that during the interview one of the dogs disappeared for about five minutes and came back wet - obviously he´d discovered a nearby ditch to lie in to cool off and have a drink. (We didn´t move by the way). Dima did not complete his degree in animal physiology either in the Ukraine or in the U.K. He denied various reports that he had worked training animals in circuses in Russia, although his display of dog dancing reminded me of things I had seen as a child but which are banned in circuses here now. Why it is so fashionable in the dog world I do not know - but each to his own. Dima initially said that he needs to work with owners and their dogs together, but when I pointed out that his website merely states "owners presence preferred" he agreed that some dogs arrive with drivers, housekeepers, nannies, etc. - none of whom have the vaguest interest in the dog. I have no idea how this works for the dogs or the owners, but - let it pass. It´s a fact of life I suppose. It´s only my opinion, but I thought that the Staffie he had with him (only for five days) would have been better wearing a harness than a collar since - as you can see in the video - there was a lot of pulling against the collar when Dima was holding it, and subsequent throat-clearing. I am STILL hearing things about Dima´s treatment of dogs. The latest was about five days after the interview was filmed and concerned an incident on the Heath Extension, although Dima assured me that he no longer walks his dogs there. I have no way of corroborating this report but it was claimed that a complaint was made to the Heath managers and that they are dealing with it, so maybe we will learn more in due course. Then again - maybe not. 10 Comments 09 Jan 2010 13:00 Letter dated 21st December 2009 received from the City of London: I am responding to the petition which you delivered to the City of London Corporation on 13th September 2009 concerning dog control legislation on Hampstead Heath. This petition has been considered by the Hampstead Heath Consultative Committee and then by the Hampstead Heath Management Committee at its last meeting on 23rd November. As a result, I am writing to let you know that the Corporation has no further dog control regulations under consideration but that there will be continued reliance on the application of the existing Byelaws in relation to dog behaviour. I trust you will be able to continue to enjoy the use of the Heath. Yours sincerely, Michael Welbank Chairman of the Hampstead Heath Management Committee NB: The Petition referred specifically to the reported proposed Licensing of dog walkers, which had not been put to public consultation. Attempts to prise from the Management information about how many dogs constituted a "group", whether legislation would apply to private individuals, what methods would be put in place to challenge decisions, etc. were unsuccessful and this caused considerable unease amongst the dog-walking community who were 99% satisfied with existing legislation. Hence the Petition. 0 Comments 20 Jun 2007 13:33 There have been countless incidents of wildfowl injured by fishing tackle. Today I learned that Heath rangers were so intimidated by fishermen who had been requested to clear up their mess and desist from fishing that they withdrew from the Vale of Health pond, only returning to take away the rubbish after the fishermen had left. When Heath staff posted notices suspending fishing from the Vale of Health, fearing for the safety of the pair of swans and their eggs, the notices "disappeared" (three times!). The cygnet which hatched from one of the eggs last Friday has disappeared. The only pond which has not suffered loss of cygnets is number 1 pond at East Heath, where there is no fishing. I have a July 1973 map of the Heath and Hampstead which shows only three ponds where fishing is permitted: Vale of Health, number 1 pond and number 2 pond at Highgate. Over the years fishermen have appropriated ponds 2 and 3 at East Heath and the Viaduct Pond with - I believe - adverse effects on wildlife. Is it not time for the Corporation to seriously consider banning fishing outright unless under the direct supervision (for instruction purposes) of a qualified member of staff? 0 Comments 02 May 2007 08:28 proposal everyone was actually in agreement.) person can be in charge of, dogs. 39% were in favour Also, even according to their (very imperfect) questionnaire results 47% thought four dogs per person were too many it too few or that there should be no restrictions. I guess we just press on but at least now we know that we have to be very specific about one thing - that it does seem that people with more than even one dog are frowned on, despite the fact that all evidence points to people with ONE dog being the cause of any problems. Even dog fouling! Why is it always people with one dog I see studiously ignoring their crapping dogs? Maybe they really believe that "one won't make any difference"? 35 years ago I had two dogs, a cross-bred black spaniel and an elderly yellow labrador. Every Sunday I went to my friend Mary's for lunch. Mary's husband was Graham Giles, who many people may remember as the original vet in Belsize Village. She had a large lurcher and a little terrier rescued from a rubbish tip in Malta. We were joined by our friends Barbi Lyons, whose obituary appeared in the Ham & High recently and who had a whippet and a basset hound, and Jude, who had a border collie. While Mary, Barbi and Jude prepared lunch I would put all seven dogs into my MGB (they would file into the car in order and "assume their positions") and drive to East Heath car park for a pre-prandial walk on the heath. In those days the only professional dog walker I knew was a wonderful lady called Margaret Sands, although I believe that there was a somewhat eccentric old lady (who from my advanced years I now realise wasn't in the least eccentric!) from Camden who had several dogs, some of whom she pushed over the heath in a pram. The three of us were probably the only people, in those days, to regularly walk several dogs at once and I can remember being photographed by a group of Japanese tourists as I trudged across the hill after a snowfall with a line of dogs following me. (NB: As I recall Margaret had been the Administrator at the London Clinic and after she retired had lost her husband and her two dogs within a short period of time. Her friends had suggested that she put an ad. in 'The Lady' offering to walk dogs for the good folk of Hampstead and this is how her second profession began). Nowadays there are quite a few professional dog walkers, a result - I presume - of more dog-owners and more professional women who don't have time to walk their own dogs. (Sorry if this sounds sexists, but it WAS generally the women who walked the family dog - and still is as far as I can make out). Over the past 35 years I have met all of my friends through the daily dog walks. I have never had to put my dogs in kennels, and neither have any of my friends. At the moment I have two dogs staying with me while their owners are on holiday and en route to the heath for our walk I will collect a friend's guide dog (she stopped walking her two years ago, aged 91!). After the walk I will collect another friend's elderly dachshund (she doesn't "do" walks) so that she can spend the day with me while her owner is out of London. I regularly see on the heath the following dogs which are owned by one person: six Westies, six Maltese terriers, five dachshunds - and there are many people who have up to four or five rescue dogs (I wish I could afford to!). The idea that one person cannot control a group of dogs is ludicrous and I have yet to see or hear evidence from any quarter to back up suggestions to the contrary. Why, therefore, are "the management" so hell-bent on targetting this group of people by insisting that their activities need to be curbed? The cynic in me (oh, surely not!) has a sneaky suspicion that on-the-spot-fines are the motivation behind this move. It would be a "nice little earner", particularly since - as I understand it - there will be no means of appeal. I absolutely sympathise with people who are unfamiliar with dogs and may find the sight of a group of dogs with one person alarming, which is precisely why my routes across the heath rarely involve main paths and open areas. However, I see no reason why the views of a few people who rarely visit the heath should be given precedence over the views of those who visit the heath every single day without fail. Whatever next? Culling the bird population because a few people are bird-phobic, regular tree-pruning and mowing to appease the hay fever sufferers? My own phobia, as someone who was beaten to a pulp by a deranged man when I was 15, concerns (in my paranoia shady-looking) unaccompanied adult males. Should I campaign for them to be banned from the heath? Every single report of dog attack has concerned a single dog, never a group of dogs. For the record these reports all seem to emanate from the Gospel Oak corner of the heath and I do wonder why - since the heath staff office is located there - so few people are apprehended for having out-of-control dogs. For myself, despite the attractions of the cafe, I avoid this corner of the heath, although I did venture there recently when the Corporation had an "open day" as part of their Consultation. Sure enough, there was a Staffordshire bitch on heat - no collar but apparently with two young girls - running around desperately trying to avoid the attentions of several male dogs. Canine feelings were running high but no member of the Constabulary approached these girls to suggest that bringing a bitch on heat (and not wearing a collar with identity tag) was irresponsible behaviour. On an entirely separate matter, has anyone noticed that the parakeets are not quite as much in evidence as usual? Any ideas as to why this should be the case? 1 Comments 30 Mar 2007 19:17 0 Comments 24 Mar 2007 06:41 The Editor has already mentioned that Camden's dogs are under threat from proposed new regulations. If Camden's proposals go ahead The City of London (who are responsible for Hampstead Heath) intend to adopt the same regulations, although it would be a simple matter for them to opt out merely by writing to Camden and advising them they did not wish to be included. Daily Heath walkers are so agitated about this that e-mails are flying around north London with advice on who to write to, copies of e-mails sent, and copies of e-mails received. In brief: Under the Road Traffic Act 1988 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog not on a lead on a public highway. Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog not wearing a collar bearing the name and address of the owner in a public place. Under the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog fouling in public. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (section 3) it is a prosecutable offence to be in charge of a dog which is dangerously out of control in a public place. Constabulary and officers of the Council to deal with irresponsible dog owners. which persist say more about the inadequacies of the Constabulary and council officers than inadequacies of Camden Byelaws. 0 Comments |
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