Brighton dog walkers divided over plans to re-wild grassland

The Argus recently reported that dog owners using the disused Waterhall golf course to exercise their pets were furious at Brighton and Hove city council’s plans to rewild the area.

However, many others who use the grasslands have since voiced their support of the plans, claiming Waterhall sees “packs of dogs off the lead” with owners “unable to control them”.

There have also been calls for dog walking businesses to become licensed, amid reports of “poo bags” left hanging in the bushes.

Poo bags can be seen in the hedges at Waterhall golf club

“To be able to manage six to eight dogs at a time, on or off the lead, is impossible,” said Sue Stubbings, of Eaton Place, Brighton.

“Not to mention the fact that it is very clear they fail to clear up the faeces left behind, with the inevitable results.

“Dog walkers should be licensed, registered, and limited to four dogs per person. It is, after all, a lucrative business.”

And Geoffrey Mead, of Hartfield Avenue in Brighton, said his guided walks of Waterhall Valley and golf course faces difficulty due to continuing problems in the area.

“There was a Friends of Waterhall nature group in the past, but they gave up because of the dog problem,” he said.

“The sheer amount of dog urine and faeces was changing the nature of the grassland, and many of the dog owners were plainly abusive when asked to control their animals.”

Dog walkers currently use Waterhall golf course to let their animals run free

Now, Matt Rood, owner of dog walking business RoodDog, has hit back at calls for low number limits, saying that qualified staff are well-equipped to deal with large groups of the animals.

“A maximum of four dogs per walk is too low for any dog walker to operate properly,” he said.

“All our dog walkers are trained dog handlers, with special training in working with packs. They have uniforms and are easily identifiable as dog walkers. A pack of six dogs is perfectly workable for properly trained dog walkers.

READ MORE: Dog walkers furious over plan for cows at Waterhall in Brighton

“A lower limit on dogs per walk would simply mean fewer dog walkers, and more problems with dogs not being looked after properly, which again would be bad for Brighton.”

Mr Rood said he supports regulations and licences, however he urged that Brighton and Hove City Council do more in monitoring dog walkers, before imposing additional restrictions.