Parks Department’s Warning To Dog Owners
The Department of Parks today [Jul. 6] reminded dog owners about their responsibilities when taking their pets to the Botanical Gardens, Arboretum, the Railway Trail and other parks and public beaches.
Parks staff have recently received a number of complaints from walkers, runners and other park users about dogs roaming free without leashes in various parks especially within the Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum.
Such incidents include a lady who was bitten by a dog at Admiralty House Park several months ago to a school student who was bitten by a dog in Botanical Gardens as recent as last week.
Dog owners and handlers are reminded of Regulation 6 of the Bermuda National Park Regulations 1988– Special Provisions Related to Dogs which states that: “any person being the owner of or in control of a dog shall not take an unleashed dog to any protected area, take a dog to any beach in a protected area between April 1 to October 31, take a dog to any protected area using a leash greater than three meters in length or allow their dog to annoy or disturb any person in any protected area”.
In the Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum as well as other parks the general public is also reminded to use the pot bags that are erected for the disposal of dog waste.
Officials from the Department of Parks advise that, “should the problem persist in Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum, then the privilege of having dogs in these areas will be discontinued. The cooperation of the general public is greatly appreciated in this matter”.
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Category: All, Environment, News
Which politician is going to be smart enough to realize that a huge quick win would be to create a proper fenced in dog park? 50ft x 50ft surrounded by chain-link fence = boom, elected by all the dog lovers instantly. They do it all over other parts of the world. Easy to maintain. Easy to police. Everyone is happy.
Bermuda already is a fenced in dog park….
The dog park in Peidmont Park in Atlanta is 3 acres, separate enclosures for large and small dogs, trails and landscaping, benches and restrooms….good luck with 50ft by 50ft…but I get your comments….
People need to be held accountable and fined for violating the rules…also make them pick up their dog’s crap as well…
The parks and public areas are to be enjoyed by all, even dog owners for which I am not who wish to walk their dogs. I for one don’t wish this privilege to be denied to anyone, but I can tell you ever since that early morning several years ago when those 2 unleashed Great Danes were barking at me and preventing me from running in a section of the Arboretum, while the owner was doing his best to get them under control, I have never been back to that park for an early morning run ever since. Scared the heck out of me…
no, costs not worth the effort. Dog owners should be held accountable for their careless and reckless behavior. The owner must compensate the victim based on the physical and psychological damage inflicted by their pitbull or poodle. Minimum $2500 for the first offence.
If only we could get people to put a leash on their children… “[Parents of children] should be held accountable for their careless and reckless behavior. The owner must compensate the victim based on the physical and psychological damage inflicted by their [shooter / murderer] or [purse snatcher / stabber]. Minimum $2500 for the first offense.”
Rudeness……pure rudeness @ My Dog is smarter. Dogs are naturally agressive, territorial, and bite if threatened (most of the time)….I think children are taught these ‘instincts’
The Parks Department is letting a few owners ruin the enjoyment of all. They’ve already taken away the only fenced in off leash area. I was a frequent user of the off-leash area (Botanical Gardens show ring) and always found the owners using the facility to be responsible, yet Parks seemed to let known offenders ruin this for everyone. Now the show ring sits unused 99% of the time and there is now nowhere left to go. Such a waste. How can we responsible dog owners organize ourselves to talk some common sense into those in charge?
the innocent suffer for the guilty..fair enough, thats life! I dont see how you can talk common sense into them when Parks have to deal with the people who have common sense and those who dont.
Now….thats a brilliant idea.We can take our politians there for lunch and breaks and let them romp and roam.
But I am sure one of them will call in a foreign company to do a poll and a local construction company will be awarded the contract to extend it to 100×100 feet and it will go into cost over runs (bwhaaaaa) and the crap collected will be sold to Tynes Bay to burn……….
Hell…some of the Ministers should be kept on a leash 24/7 that way we could save money on GP cars….we could even hire a private contractor to ferry them to Botanical….ooops….wonder who would get the “leash” for that………..
JEEKUM-BURGAZ DUN, THIS HAS 2 STOP…First d humans, now d Dogz!?! DOES NE 1 HAVE RIGHTS NE MORE??!?!? Wuts next…r we gunna make TOADS wear a fleppin-well leash erry time dey go hoppin 2 there ace toad’s yard 2 talk bout how boasty moisture is? I dont meen 2 sound like a conspircy bredren, but I have a suspicion dat d POLICE DEPT IS BEHIND DIS, N IS USIN D “PARKS DEPT” AS A FRONT GROOP…DOGS WERE MEANT 2 ROAM FREE, PPL!!!!
My bredren Hopeless-Knees workd in d parks departmint a few yerrs back, n said dat d corruption wuz so deep, it made de Police Dept look like a GRENNY’S house afta she jus took off her girdle. It wuz so bad dat he had 2 quit…sum guyz even sold cedar trees 2 north korea 4 extra dollaz. He said NO 1 WHO WORKS DERE EVEN LIKES NATURE, n did all sorts of dopeyness after d parks closd at nite. He wuz tellin me dat his co-workers used 2 go up spittal pond erry night at 2am wif a cement mixer n COVER D ENTIRE PARK WIF CONCREET! after it hardned, dey would dance on top of it and sing a song bout how much dey hated trees…it went somfin like: “TREES R MUG, WE DUNEEN LIKE DEM, TREES R MUG, WE GUYZ R TRYIN 2 SPITE THEM!”. After dat, dey wuld break all d concreet up again n throw it in d pond so dat ppl wuldn’t know d diffrence d next day. I said 2 him “Hopeless-Knees, y u didnt say noffin 2 ya boss?” n he jus hung his head in shame, cuz now he works up Island Construcshin mixin concreet.
if we guyz start restrictin dogz from achievin their full boastiness in Bermy’s parks, d economy will go in 2 a freefall n stock prices will plummet. It happned in d Gaza Strip, it can happen here. WAKE UP PPL!!!! 4 DE LOVE OF JOOKS, U NEED 2 WAKE UP!!!!! EVEN IF IT MEENS SETTIN 3 ALARM CLOCKS!
@ Clafe: I think someone needs to proofread this and translate for us english speaking folks. I hope you were not trying to get anyone to take you seriously…
It’s the Bermuda way. Civil Servants are like our teachers. They tell us what to do as sternly as possible and punish us if things don’t go their way. So, a few dogs stray -everyone gets punished. Like keeping the class after school.
So IGNORANT!!
Why can’t they come up with a solution that the TAX PAYERS pay them to do. Maybe a doggy area? They have them all over the world. Maybe we have to send a dozen or so of these idiots to some conference in Dubai so they can come back with some ideas, like, well, making a doggy area. I don’t have a dog; I don’t particularly care one way or the other, but if my jobs was in the Parks service I would damn well figure out how to make this happen rather than take the ignorant Bermuda approach: don’t do what I say? I’ll show you!
The tax payers don’t have the funds to create a dog park. The tax payers barely have the funds to pay for the enforcement of the dog laws as they are at present. Here’s the thing- letting your dog off leash and effectively out of your control is illegal, doesn’t matter where, so long as you do that in a public place, then you’re breaking the law. People disobey the law- so you’re advocating adjusting the law for those people who can’t abide by it? I totally agree with Parks’ approach- in it, they are appealing to those few dog owners’ ‘better sides’ in trying to get them to obey the law so they don’t ruin it for everyone else. It’s an appeal to their conscience, on behalf of others who currently exhibit responsibility. On the contrary, I think this is more a statement on the lack of common courtesy we’ve devolved to, and the culture of entitlement so deeply ingrained that if we don’t get our own way, well then we expect the world to adjust to us. To hell with what’s illegal, or even immoral or just plain irresponsible. I want, therefore I should have, there should be exceptions made for everyone. That’s more the issue than anything else. We ought to be openly condemning those dog owners who don’t control or clean up after their animals, instead we see a problem with Gubmint. It’s once again an illustration of the abdication of personal responsibility. SMDH. It’s not Parks fault that some people let their dogs become a nuisance to others, is it? So really- those dog owners who do that sort of thing are at fault, not Parks. Let’s get it straight.
Very well said. Some animals are very unpredictable. They can be a pet one minute, and a pedator, the next.
And quite apart from that, I’ve also heard the argument that ‘my dog is a large/active breed and he has to have the exercise that only running off-lead can provide’. Then…you shouldn’t have that breed in Bermuda. Or, you, personally, shouldn’t have that breed. That’s another restriction that I believe has to be placed in importation of various breeds. If you’re bringing in a large and/or very active breed and you can’t provide sufficient exercise for the animal, it shouldn’t be brought it. More to the point, if you can’t provide for all of your animal’s needs, including exercise, in a responsible and humane manner, then you shouldn’t be allowed to have that animal! People’s irresponsible behaviour just kills me. It’s no one else’s fault…
Why are people complaining. You can’t pick and choose which rules you want to follow. Just keep your animal on a leash…SIMPLE!
Been doing my part while out running on the beaches and back trails. If I see a dog off its leash and the owner right there, hell yes I tell them its an offence in its self to have ones’ dog off its property and not on a leash. And no I’m not afraid of dogs, its for the the who are, young and old. I have no problem that they want to walk their dogs in the public parks and beaches, but right is right and wrong is wrong. And yes, I too have been challenged by a dog off its leash where the owner couldn’t even react to control the dog as it was trying to rush over to me. There are some signs posted, but some are not in what I would say the best places so that dog owners can observe them. Then again with budget cuts I haven’t seen any park officers after 5pm in area of the beaches which are being most used at this time of year. (I could be wrong with my time). Even watched a young lady take her doggie to watch volley ball on the beach(off the leash I might add)…The sad part is that most dog owners know the rules and regulations and act like they dont exist to them. Dogs are not important comparing them to humans. Your dog can’t care for you let alone help pay your bills. Yes they do provide us with companionship, but so do other humans. I gree with GDBA…..Its ‘SIMPLE’ keep your dogs on a leash.
correction…the ones who are afraid young and old( Spell check spell check…..my bad)
How about actually fining the people that are breaking the law instead of punishing all the responsible owners or is that too much common sense! And they already have a doggy park if they let the public use it (no expense to build it) – it’s called the main ring at the botanical gardens – it just needs to be supervised from time to time to catch the people not using it properly – and they should be fined as well.
I can already hear people complaining about resources but excuse me don’t we already have a lot of animal wardens based in the botanical gardens.
I agree! Instead of having all 20 of the Botanical Garden workers leaning on a shovel in one area all together, why not have one lean on his shovel in the main ring during peak play times (after work, weekends). And yes, violators should be fined. Who doesn’t pick up after their own dog? That’s not cool.
It’s not just picking up after the dog, it’s also about dogs harming other people. Before all the dog lovers get their backs up, what if your exuberant and otherwise harmless Lab runs up to an elderly walker and knocks them off balance? Or, what about the toddler who’s terrified of the (friendly) dog galloping over to him? It’s just plain irresponsible to let a dog off lead in a public place. I do agree that it’s a shame that the show ring was closed to dog use, but rules are rules- why are they sooooo hard to follow???? I really get tired of people antrhopomorphizing their animals, yes, treat them humanely, make them part of your heart and your home, but really…people trump animals. We need to enjoy the public spaces in Bermuda, too. Incidentally, I do have a family pet, and still- he’s the dog, my kids are my kids. If I had to choose between my child and my dog, the kids win. If I had to choose between my dog’s ability to use a park or my kids’ ability to enjoy that same space, my kids still win. I wish there was a place they could run around freely- oh, wait, there is!!! It’s MY FENCED-IN YARD!!!!
And perhaps I didn’t phrase that right- I meant that people trump pet animals when it comes to our public spaces. I don’t believe that we should eradicate pandas for human development or anything like that…there are so many lunatics out there I felt I had to clarify that point.
Agreed. Zero cost to build and minimal cost to enforce, with the potential of generating revenue from fines.
People speed on Bermuda’s roads and it’s against the law. Should we shut down all roads as a result?
The parks looks so much like dog dung thats why they crap all over the place the parks department can certainly do a better job cause it looks like a dog track at Botanical Gardens. Make it prestine and enjoyable for people is that so hard.
I don’t think it’s irrisponsible at all to have a dog off it’s leash – IF you have control over it. In the UK I’ve seen so many people walk their dog down the main road side walk without a leash and the dog is right by their side. They tell the dog to sit and stay, go into the store and come back and the dog is right there where it was told to stay.
The issue isn’t the dog being off leash it is the control you have over the dog.
Children should also be educated and instructed on how to approach dogs (and other animals) as well as the dog should be properly socialized to know that it doesn’t go running up to people.
That observation is true, but that brand of ‘responsible’ dog owner and well-trained dog is rare here. I have only seen a very few dogs here trained to that level here in Bermuda. I have, however, seen MANY dogs scare the bejeebies out of little kids at the beach or the park, and the owners’ excuse is, ‘he just wants to be friends’ or ‘he likes to give kisses’. More people need to train there dogs here, rather than it being an issue of the kids being educated on how to approach dogs.
It really burns me when people think their dogs are welcome everywhere- here’s a surprise, they’re not, UNLESS they are 100% reliable. And I’m sorry- I do not believe that there is ANY instance where that is the case with an animal, you have no idea what will set them off. How many times have we heard ‘he’s never bitten/jumped up on anyone before…’? You can’t talk to them or understand them in a ‘human’ way, so why is it such a problem to keep your dog ON a leash??? As I said above, I have a dog, he is a beloved and cherished family pet, well trained and by all appearances reliable, but I would NEVER let him off leash in public, the risks simply aren’t worth it, for his safety. I bet it’s still illegal in most parts of the UK to let your dog off leash in public places, it’s just noteworthy that nothing went wrong in the instances you describe, but I would bet good money on leash laws being pretty much what they are here. The leash is there for your dog’s protection as much as it is for protecting the public from your dog. I still stand by my previous statement- it is totally irresponsible to let your dog loose in public, I don’t care how well-behaved a dog is, AND it IS AGAINST THE LAW. And, by the way, my dog, despite his apparent enslavement to you proponents of letting them loose, is healthy, even-tempered, and well exercised. There is nothing at all wrong with keeping your dog ON A LEASH. If that’s what he’s used to, then there is no reason he’d be unhappy with that.
The key is EXERCISE. If you can’t be bothered to give them what they need on the leash, then you shouldn’t have a dog. If they need an hour of walking each day and you don’t do that, shame on you. If your dog is a breed that ‘needs’ lots of open space to run in, you’d better have a really big yard, or- maybe a different breed of dog. Too many people buy dogs based on vanity or the breed’s uniqueness: if the breed doesn’t suit your location and lifestyle, don’t get one. Your location means how much space YOUR private home can offer the dog, where he can run around freely, and your lifestyle means that if you’re lazy, don’t buy an active breed. It’s not that hard, people. Doing the right thing by your dog in part means making sure he fits your life. Doing otherwise is doing that dog, and potentially your fellow human, a great disservice.
I fail to understand what is so difficult about keeping your dog on a leash and picking up the poo? Are Bermudians too stupid or lazy even for this? If so, then they have no right to own a dog. There should be a test (like a driving test) that every dog owner must take before being handed over a dog license. (We might want to consider initiating a similar test to expectant parents.. but that’s another issue.) And when is the last time anyone saw a Park Ranger on patrol in any of the Parks? Park Rangers should be handing out tickets to these dog owners that do not abide by Park rules.
Issues with dog owners in the Botanical Gardens have been going on for far too many years. All kinds of irresponsible behavior from dog owners has been tolerated. This tolerance or fear of dealing with the problem has enabled dog owners to believe they have rights they ought not to have. Some dog owners have long treated the Botanical Gardens as if it is a dog park and have cared less about the effect it has on those who work there. In case there is any misunderstanding about what a Botanical Gardens is supposed to be for, it is for the appreciation, education and enjoyment of plants, not dogs. There is likely to be someone out there who has land they would rather use as a dog park rather than people, perhaps such a person can come forward to relieve the Botanical Gardens of this nuisance situation.
I applaud the present administration for having the courage to draw the line.
This is a case of responsible dog owners being penalised by the few people who are too thoughtless and inconsiderate to stick to the rules (and the law). I use the Botanical Gardens and the Arboretum regularly and wouldn’t dream of letting my dogs off the lead, for their protection as well as the protection of the rest of the park users. We are all entitled to use the parks without fear of being terrorised by unruly dogs. We are very lucky to be able to use the parks to exercise our dogs and now we run the risk of losing that privilege because of a few arrogant people who think that rules don’t apply to them.
Rather than ban all dogs from the parks, why not have rangers patrolling the grounds and fining those who either let their dogs loose or don’t pick up after them. They have dog wardens in the UK that enforce these laws on behalf of local authorities.
Incidentally, they don’t have leash laws in most places in the UK, unlike the US.
Why, oh why, must a few irresponsible and selfish dog owners spoil it for everyone else?
It is against the law in Bermuda for dogs to be off leash ANYWHERE except their own property. This means all the parks, railway trails and the beaches always. What is so difficult to understand.
The laws are there. Enforce them. Apply the fines. The message will get through to the thickheaded irresposible owners very quickly.
Just a few days ago I was in a British Columbia provincial park. A family let their dog run free. They were spoken to by the park host, took an attitude, & were ejected from the park in very short order.