Bradford bans dogs from 'Muslim areas'

 Post by Shelfside

It gets worse every day people. Acting on a 'direct request from the Council of mosques' (for request read 'order') Bradford council has banned dogs on penalty of an 80 pounds fine from certain Muslim areas. Unbelievable. This is England FFS and this spineless council kow tow to a racist, bigoted and totally seperatist minority. When will it ever end?
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Amended plans to introduce dog control orders that vary between different parts of the Bradford district came under fire last night for being confusing, hard to enforce and risk increasing dog fouling on streets and footpaths.

Bradford Council has been consulting residents about the planned orders for the last few months and has now published updated proposals.

They still involve banning dogs from children’s play areas, multi-activity areas and skateboard parks, but now also include Muslim areas within Council-owned cemeteries.

In addition, a rule which would mean dogs must be kept on a lead still applies to cemeteries and certain ornamental gardens, but now includes two entire parks and bowling greens.

A third order would require owners to put their dog on a lead if asked by an authorised officer.

If approved at the next executive meeting in December, the orders would come into force on January 21, and would mean an £80 on-the-spot fine for owners caught letting their dog run free in Haworth Central Park and Roberts Park in Saltaire.

In addition dogs must also be kept on a lead in certain parts of Harold Park, Lister Park and Peel Park.

The dog ban extends to the Muslim sections of Bowling and Scholemoor cemeteries in Bradford and Utley Cemetery in Keighley.

The district-wide discrepancy over which parks are included in the full dog-on-a-lead restriction has provoked criticism among some groups that look after parks.

Mark Tait, a member of the Friends of Harold Park group said he could not understand why the rules would vary from park to park.

He said: “Why is the Council not suggesting this rule at all parks in the district, that would make it equal for all dog walkers and fair?

“The other issue is enforcing these new rules. We already have problems with the Council not doing its job over dog fouling. Wardens need to be at the park first thing in the morning – that’s when people are walking their dogs before work.”

Councillor David Gray, whose Bolton and Undercliffe ward covers Peel Park, said the new rules could simply move dog-related problems to other parks.

“It is unenforceable and unnecessary this could simply lead to increased dog fouling in the district’s streets which is already a massive problem for residents throughout Bradford,” said Coun Gray (Lib Dem).

Councillor Andrew Thornton, the Council’s portfolio holder responsible for dog control orders, said that the authority was attempting to strike a balance between the needs of different communities and between the practicalities of being able to introduce such orders in parks, for example.

He said the Council had responded to different requests which differed for each area. Banning dogs from muslim areas in cemeteries had been a direct request from the Council for Mosques.

The cost of introducing the new rules would be about £38,000 to the Council.
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Bradford 'Telegraph and Argus'.