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23
Jan
Anger over commercial dog walking ban at Great Yorkshire Showground
A decision to ban commercial dog walking at Harrogate’s Great Yorkshire Showground has been described as “unfair and unnecessary”.
Signs appeared at the showground on Tuesday saying commercial dog walking was not permitted “for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors”.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society, which owns the showground, said some commercial users had verbally abused other dog walkers and let their dogs attack other animals.
It stressed other dog walkers were still welcome to use the showground's footpaths and bridleways.
One of the signs at the entrance on Hookstone Road.
The Stray Ferret today met two professional dog walkers who have exercised dogs at the showground for years.
Hannah Whewell, who lives in the nearby Saints area of Harrogate, said she had not received a single complaint in 17 years of using the site.
Ms Whewell acknowledged some dog walkers caused issues by failing to control animals or not clearing up mess but it was wrong to introduce a rule, without consultation, that penalised all commercial dog walkers.
She said:
I’m very sore about this. There are some bad walkers who should be dealt with on an individual basis but most of us are hyper-aware of making sure we don’t get in anyone’s way. We pick up after ourselves and have control of our dogs.
It’s frustrating that others who don’t are ruining it for everyone else and that the Yorkshire Agricultural Society is banning all of us.
Dogs near one of the new signs.
Fellow commercial walker Sam Fisher agreed, adding:
It’s unfair and unnecessary. We know everybody down here. Lots of dog walkers socialise at the showground and they all think it’s wrong.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society previously blocked off some footpaths in the showground for sheep grazing. The new signs impose further restrictions on commercial dog walkers.
Ms Whewell and Ms Fisher said there were increasingly few places for them to take dogs in Harrogate, and that they may have to use nearby Hookstone Woods, which is smaller and less suited to walking dogs.
They questioned whether the ban was enforceable, as it affected public bridleways and footpaths.
'Verbal abuse'
The Stray Ferret asked the Yorkshire Agricultural Society why it had put up the signs and whether it had consulted on the move.
We also asked what action it will take against commercial dog walkers that continue to use the showground, and whether any action was legally enforceable as the ban applied to public footpaths and bridleways.
A spokesperson said:
The society does wish to clarify that all responsible dog walkers, who are not walking their dogs as part of commercial dog walking services, are welcome to use the public footpaths and bridleways at the Great Yorkshire Showground, and these routes are clearly indicated on signage.
Action has been taken to deter commercial dog walking at the showground for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors after the society was contacted by a number of different dog walkers who have reported being verbally abused by commercial dog walkers.
The society has also been contacted by members of the public reporting that their dogs had been attacked by the dogs that some commercial dog walkers bring in large packs and allow to roam off leads. The society cannot police this behaviour, nor the risk assessments or insurance policies held by commercial dog walkers who use the showground’s public footpaths and bridleways.
We also asked the society whether it had any plans to build on the showground. The spokesperson said it had "no plans for any development on its agricultural land".
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