Shrewsbury’s Labour group leader has demanded a clearer definition of rules for the borough’s new dog control orders, claiming they should also apply to hunt meetings.Shrewsbury and Atcham borough councillor Danny Moore says he is concerned about hunting dogs roaming free while travelling through public areas.
He has now tabled a question ahead of next week’s full council meeting to Councillor Judith Williams, portfolio holder, asking how the new bylaws apply to hunts.
Councillor Moore says: “To cite an example, will all fox hounds that gather for Boxing Day hunts (assuming such hunts comply with the law) at the Shrewsbury Livestock Market be required to be on leads as they leave the site therefore crossing a public highway before entering on to open ground?”
Borough councillors rubber-stamped the new dog control orders in December but back-tracked on a bylaw which would see dogs kept on a lead in Shrewsbury’s Quarry Park after a massive public outcry.
However they agreed areas where dogs must be kept on a lead include all public roads, carriageways and their adjoining pavements and verges.
Councillor Moore said he was aware there were exceptions to the laws for certain working dogs.
He said: “It’s my opinion that the police dogs are acceptable, as are perhaps some working dogs, to enter buildings in search of people, but I don’t necessarily believe it applies to local hunts.
“We’re not talking about a single dog or a couple of dogs, we’re talking about a pack of dogs.”
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