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Here is a complete list of all the Blog Warden entries : NDWA Member Launches Dog Warden Forum site, 24/11/2008 20:20:04 NDWA member Kieron Stuchfield of Dog Control Solutions Limited has launched http://dogwarden.proboards.com/ specifically for Dog Wardens and those interested in working with dogs as a career. Membership is open to all and should provide a forum for like minded people to exchange views and ideas regarding our roles as dog control officers. Why not join and share your experiences and operating methods for the benefit of colleagues around the country? NDWA25 CONFERENCE - STOP PRESS!, 02/10/2008 22:34:25 Last minute amendments to the list of speakers appearing at NDWA 25 due to circumstances beyond the control of NDWA has resulted in the opportunity for delegates to listen in to ACPO Advisor on dogs and expert witness Peter Tallack discuss for the first time the forthcoming 'Guidance for Enforcers' document that relates to and lays out the police and local authorities responsibilities for dealing with dog related issues. Peter is hoping that his presentation will raise debate amongst delegates and enable an exchange of views that will be beneficial to all. Long time NDWA member Dave Griffiths, an Environmental Protection Officer with East Hampshire District Council will also be giving an updated version of the well recieved presentation he gave at the RSPCA Dangerous Dog Conference in London earlier this year attended by amongst others Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom of North Wales Police and lead officer on dogs from ACPO and DEFRA Minister Lord Rooker. Mark Kumpf President of the National Animal Control Association and Vice President Debbie Dawson from the USA will be carrying out a series of presentations on rabies, animal hoarding and a general insight into dog control issues in the USA. Steve Elvidge from the Western Australia Rangers Association will be giving a presentation on the role of a WA Ranger, it is very different role to that of a Dog Warden or Animal Welfare Officer in the United Kingdom but they do face similar issues in regard to general dog control. Presentations will also be given by Melanie Page from Deed Not Breed, Inspector Neil Davies of Merseyside Police Dog Section and K9 Magazines Editor-in-Chief Ryan O'Meara. The seminar is open to everyone, not just NDWA members. Should you wish to attend, please go to www.ndwa.co.uk and click on AGM's & Seminars to find details on how to book and how to get to the location. The conference is being held at the Cresta Court Hotel, Church Street, Altringham, Cheshire WA14 4DP on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th October 2008. PEDIGREE DOGS EXPOSED, 08/08/2008 13:48:53 For those of us who are interested in the world of pedigree dogs, there is a forthcoming TV programme on them being shown prime time on 19th August 2008 on BBC1 at 9pm. The programme is enttiled Pedigree Dogs Exposed, the Kennel Club has put out the following statement regarding the programme: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/item/1976/23/5/3 NDWA Member Shows DEFRA That Councils Do Prosecute Dangerous Dog Cases, 05/08/2008 20:51:26 NDWA member and Three Rivers District Council Dog Warden Debra Sandling recently prosecuted the owner of two Akita's under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. (See full story in headlines section of this website) This flies in the face of the advice DEFRA gives out that the police deal with dangerous dogs and that councils deal with nuisance and stray dogs. A lot of councils deal with dangerous dogs, but there are just as many again who do not deal with them. Why do some councils not deal with dangerous dogs? This may be due to costs and the perception that all dangerous dogs have to be seized, this is incorrect because it is known that some NDWA member councils leave the dog(s) with their owners and ensure that whatever court order is issued is carried out. There appear to be several reasons why councils do not deal with dangerous dogs, but at the end of the day all councils can (if they have the resolve and probably the money) deal with dogs being dangeorusly out of control. Well done Debra and well done to Three Rivers District Council for resolving a particularly nasty case of iresponsbile dog ownership. NDWA Has Not Withdrawn From Committee Involvement, 06/06/2008 13:34:58 At the RSPCA Dangerous Dog conference in London on Tuesday 3rd June 2008, Mr Chris Laurence, Veterinary Director of the Dog's Trust asked a question during an open question session to senior NDWA member Dave Griffiths of East Hampshire District Council. The question from Mr Laurence was 'Why has the NDWA withdrawn from various committees' (or words to that effect) Dave's reply to Mr Laurence was that 'I am not a current NDWA committee member, NDWA members are working dog wardens and that NDWA has not withdrawn but has been excluded' This answer summed up in a nutshell the reply to Mr Laurence's question. The very fact that NDWA were not represented or invited to the RSPCA conference shows that we were indeed excluded from a very important debate on a range of subjects that affect dog wardens in our everyday work. In October 2007 at Birmingham, senior NDWA member Cuthbert Jackson presented a series of 'thoughts' on various issues that affect dangerous dog legislation, dog control and responsible dog ownership. One of the ideas presented was compulsory insurance via insurance companies as a potential method of compulsory registration. Dave Griffiths in his presentation in London managed to get this idea across to delegates, but why was Cuthbert Jackson or another NDWA speaker not invited to present this alternative idea to dog registration? Unfortunately NDWA is excluded from a number of important committees and working groups, the reason for this exclusion though needs to come from the committee's themselves why NDWA is not included? Can anybody provide any idea's on why we are excluded from participating? Elsewhere on the NDWA website and also on www.dogmagazine.net, I have written an article that recognises that the time for the diverse organisations involved in dog related issues to put aside their differences and work together for animal and dog welfare. The continuing exclusion of NDWA from various committees and working groups is not the way forward though. Support The Pet Owners Parliament, 27/05/2008 20:58:45 Have you heard about the new website in town that is growing by the day? The Pet Owners Parliament is now fully launched and is a site for all pet owners and by joining the P.O.P you are giving yourself the opportunity to be involved in issues that matter to you as a pet owner. Every member of the P.O.P is given one vote, it matters not that you may be a large organisation or somebody who owns a single Budgie or Goldfish, you are entitled to the same vote (e.g. one). The main tenet of the P.O.P is that it will vote on issues just like a real parliament and if the will of the members is to be for or against something, so be it, it is the will of the pet owning people and P.O.P will do as its members tell it to do by the democratic process of one vote per member. Join now by going to www.petparliament.com There are forums, columns and much more for all species of pet owner. As you may be aware, NDWA in conjunction with the P.O.P launched Servicewatch to report on good and bad dog control service provision. In 2009 a report will be compiled and sent to DEFRA highlighting the first year of councils dealing with stray dogs without the assistance of the police. Servicewatch is confidential and investigations will be carried out by members of NDWA and the Pet Owners Parliament. , 27/05/2008 20:37:01 NDWA To Host International Dog Control Seminar, 23/05/2008 07:54:59 NDWA is hosting an International Dog Control Seminar on Monday 13th and Tuesday 14th October 2008 in Altringham Cheshire. As well as speakers from the UK such as: Trevor Cooper Ryan O'Meara Editor-in-Chief of K9 Media Ltd Mel Page from Deed Not Breed Peter Tallack ex-Met Police Dog Handler Insp Neil Davies of Merseyside Police Dog Section NDWA's very own Cuthbert Jackson We are being joined by representatives of the National Animal Control Association from the USA of which, two NACA members will be giving presentations on animal hoarding and rabies. A representative of the Western Australia Rangers Association will be talking about the role of a Ranger. DEFRA has been invited to send a representative to talk about Section 68 of the CNEA2005. Shoehorned in amongst all these speakers will be two short briefings, one form Hearing Dogs and one from an NVQ Training Company who will explain about NVQ's for Dog Wardens. Also at the seminar will be a range of specialist trade stands such as MDC Exports who will be displaying their as always upto date range of dog control and operator protection equipment that is available for councils to purchase for their employees protection and to enable them to handle and restrain animals safely and correctly. AVID Pettrac suppliers of possibly the best microchip scanners in the business, the 'Mini Tracker II' will be at the seminar to offer delegates everything from a complete package for their microchip requirements, down to the opportunity to purchase microchips or individual scanners. As the seminar coincides with NDWA's 25th anniversary, the NDWA 2008 awards are being hosted to commemorate the event. Further information on criteria and categories will be published soon in Dog Warden News and will be distributed via EHNet and the dog press. The awards will be presented by Ryan O'Meara from K9 Magazine. Further information on the seminar can be found by going to AGM's & Seminar's on the website menu. I hope to see as many members and colleagues at NDWA25 as possible! The seminar is open to all, local government colleagues, animal welfare colleagues, police officers and anybody interested in dog control issues. So Do Councils Need To Keep A Register Of Seized Dogs , 15/05/2008 14:28:45 Do you keep your councils Register of Seized Dogs in your office or at least in your admin office? Reason I ask is that it appears that in Hastings Borough Council the register is kept by the councils stray dog contractor and not by the council itself. There has been heated debate on the pages of K9 Magazines, breaking news website, www.dogmagazine.net after a dog owner who had reported his Husky bitch missing to Hastings Borough Council contractor, Animal Wardens limited and checked every day to see whether the dog had been handed in, discovered that the dog had i n fact been seized and subsequently sold after the statutory period but due to a number of errors, this fact was not detected by the contractor. When the dog owner visited Hastings Town Hall to ask to see the register as is his legal right, it is alleged that the dog owner was told that Animal Wardens Limited held the register. As you are no doubt aware, the person authorised to discharge the functions for dealing with stray dogs within a council area may in fact be a senior officer who will never see a stray dog, the duty is usually delegated to another person to deal with the dogs such as a dog warden or a contractor. The law does state that a Register of Seized Dogs has to be kept and presented for inspection when demanded by a member of the public. I would assume that the register should be kept in a location within the area served by the council to make it relatively easy for a member of the public to look at it. Where do you keep yours, are you sure that you have got one! SERVICEWATCH IS LAUNCHED, 13/05/2008 07:38:35 NDWA in association with K9 Magazine has worked together to launch SERVICEWATCH a new way of reporting on the standard of service in a councils area of responsibility. It has been formed to monitor the level of stray dog services around the UK since the implementation of Section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 on 6th April 2008. Good service as well as bad can be reported to SERVICEWATCH which can be found by clicking on to www.petparliament.com and choosing the campaign button in the toolbar of the Pet Owner Parliament screen. The service is confidential but any complainants will be checked to verify they are genuine but their names will not be used or referred to. A report will be compiled and sent to the Government in 2009 to show how service has increased or decreased since Section 68 was introduced. There is also a facility for members of the Pet Owners Parliament to download a letter that can be sent to Environmental Health Managers of councils that asks specific questions regarding what type and level of cover is in use at a particular council. Ground Hog Day, 23/04/2008 13:28:31 NDWA is in the process of compiling an archive so that all our correspondence, reports, articles and back copies of Dog Warden News are available for the membership and others to access. During 'construction work' (if that is the correct IT phrase?) we have found an article written by Our Dogs Newspaper (who own the copyright to the article) that was published in January 2005. Click on the hyperlink below to access the article that is yet another example of DEFRA not listening to NDWA at the time: http://www.ourdogs.co.uk/News/2005/January2005/News210105/dogwardens.htm As an association of people who are doing the job, it would be nice to think they would have listened to what we have between us to say. Although we work to the same guidelines and legislation, we must all do some things differently due to the socio-economic make up of areas and the directions of our bosses, so we all have something different to add! They know where we are if they want to ask us as an association for our views? You will be the first to know if we are contacted by DEFRA or any other government departments! Is It Legal To Pay Bonuses For Serving Fixed Penalties?, 21/04/2008 20:51:46 Do you issue Fixed Penalty Notices on behalf of your local authority? If you do, are you paid a bonus for each one served? Should you be paid a bonus for serving a Fixed Penalty? If you have to serve a certain amount of FPN to make up your wages, could this lead to the unscrupulous service of FPN on 'soft targets' to meet a weekly or monthly quota? What happens if you are unable to meet the target, apart form not getting your full wage, do you also end up stressed? By being 'eligible' for a bonus, does this mean you are paid less than the market rate for your job? It is thought that some Traffic Wardens, or is it now Civilian Enforcement Officers who work for contractors servicing council contracts receive bonuses for the number of tickets served. Serving tickets on a stationary inanimate object that has a registration number on it must be easier than confronting a dog owner who may or may not give you his details. Perhaps councils should start paying Dog Wardens bonuses for seizing stray dogs! Have Your Say At RSPCA Dangerous Dog Conference, 21/04/2008 20:12:40 The RSPCA is hosting a Dangerous Dogs conference in London on Tuesday 3rd June 2008. NDWA is asking members and Dog Warden colleagues from around the country to seriously consider attending this conference to ensure that your skills and experiences of dealing with dangerous dog issues on a daily basis are included in any subsequent discussions on the day. Your knowledge of dealing with stray dogs and promoting responsible dog ownership will also be invaluable to the discussion. The speakers include: Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom of North Wales Police and Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) lead officer on stray and dangerous dogs. Mr Brunstrom will be talking about dog management, enforcement issues and trends. Inspector Neil Davies, Head of the Merseyside Police Dog Unit and a guest speaker at last year's NDWA Seminar in Birmingham. Mr Davies will be speaking about status dogs. The Right Honourable The Lord Rooker, Minister of State for Animal Welfare will be attending the general discussion. Mr Adam Goldfarb, Humane Society of the United States and a companion animal specialist. Mr Goldfarb will be speaking about lessons to be learned from dangerous dogs in the United States of America. NDWA member Dave Griffiths of East Hampshire District Council. Dave spoke at last year's NDWA Seminar in Birmingham and is the chair of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Dog Warden Group. Dave sat on the reform group for the Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act 1997. Dave will be speaking about stray dogs and improving local control measures. RSPCA Chief Inspector Tim Wrass. Mr Wrass will be speaking about how to engage with communities using dogs. RSPCA Trustee Angela Walder, Associate of the Institute of Animal Technology. Ms Walder will focus on registration, rehoming and responsible dog ownership based on lessons from New Zealand and Kent. The conference is open to all, if you are interested in attending please contact Miranda Luck on 0300 123 0219 or on mluck@rspca.org.uk The cost of the days attendance is £70 per person and includes lunch. Well Said Cuthbert Jackson, 13/04/2008 16:43:21 Thank you to Cuthbert Jackson for his extensive article regarding stray dogs post 6th April 2008, all that all of us as members of NDWA can say to our employers and the public, is that It is not nice to have to write that, but sadly NDWA has been saying this all along on a variety of canine related legislation that has subsequently been enacted ever since we were formed twenty five years ago. Although it is distressing to feel that Governments and their advisors do not deign to listen to what we as dog control professionals have to say as the people on the ground actually doing the job, it is important that our collective views are known by the public and our employers. Admittedly though when information is required through the use of a Freedom of Information request, organisations become very interested in what we NDWA members and our dog control colleagues who are not members of the association have to say then when they are asking for our stray dog figures and other associated information? At the risk of sounding like some kind of 'moaning minnie' type, I have lost count of the number of times that something that the government has brought out, that has then subsequently gone 'pear shaped' or was ill advised, was criticised by us as an association? Prime examples are: The Dangerous Dogs Act The Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 The implementation of Section 68 of the CNEA2005. If the government fails to listen to us or it fails to treat NDWA with any respect, is it because they do not like what we have to say? If it is, it shows just how important it is that we continue as an association that is apolitical and not afraid to tell the government of the day that we believe as the people who actually do the job, something is not going to work. The positive thing about NDWA is that we continue to grow and in this our silver jubilee year we are hosting an international animal control conference to mark this milestone in October 2008 that is open to everybody, members, non members, animal charities, the police and the general public. Our continual opposition whenever the government of the day looks to bring in dog related legislation that ultimately affects both ourselves and dog owners that we believe to be flawed or badly thought out shows that we are prepared to put our heads above the parapet. By standing up and being counted as an organisation opposed to the latest poorly thought out piece of legislation sets NDWA aside and this may be a reason that we are ignored by DEFRA and its advisors? Cuthbert's article has been published by K9 Magazine on its website that can be found at www.dogmagazine.net Exercise Your Democratic Right, 10/04/2008 13:47:19 Recently I wrote to my local Member of Parliament (first time for everything!) to bring to his attention the DEFRA 'guidance' in regard to Section 68 of the CNEA2005. My MP has forwarded my letter to Lord Rooker, the DEFRA Minister regarding my concerns about acceptance points and the expectation that members of the public take dogs themselves to such acceptance points. Perhaps members of NDWA as well as other dog wardens should consider writing to their own MP's to let them know what they think about the DEFRA guidance? Is there anybody out there who thinks that there is nothing wrong with the guidance (apart from DEFRA?) Contact NDWA and let us know. SECTION 68 IMPLEMENTED, 04/04/2008 09:37:06 Further to some people and organisations informing the UK that Section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005 was implemented on the 1st April 2008. Sadly these people are unaware that the actual start date is Sunday 6th April 2008. I do wish that the so called experts in the field would check their facts before telling people things! NDWA Articles Published By K9 Magazine, 17/03/2008 20:23:49 NDWA contributors are managing to get a fair amount of their articles published on www.dogmagazine.net the internet site of K9 Magazine. If you want to be kept up to date with all the breaking canine news when it is happening please visit the K9 Magazine site. Is The RSPCA Seizing Dangerous Dogs? , 12/03/2008 13:29:31 Go to www.dogmagazine.net to read an article that asks whether the RSPCA is seizing dangerous dogs under Section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act. Police and RSPCA officers executed a warrant under the DDA to seize two dogs from an address in Burton. Sergeant Chris Beckett is quoted as saying “The action followed concerns by police that these animals could pose a risk to people. Under the Dangerous Dogs Act it is illegal to own certain breeds which are considered highly unpredictable and this action was aimed at taking two animals, which had caused concern, off the streets.” He continued, 'police and RSCPA officers would always investigate reports that dangerous dogs were being bred or housed and take the necessary action.' The article further claims the owner has since signed an agreement for the dogs to be destroyed. Who positively identified these dogs as prohibited dogs and is the RSPCA now carrying out breed specific enforcement work on behalf of the government, are they allowed to do this as they are a charity? New NDWA Chairman Appointed, 08/03/2008 15:43:02 New Forest District Council Dog Warden Neil Burton has been appointed Chairman of the National Dog Warden Association, he was appointed on Sat 8th March 2008 at Crufts. He replaces Ann Nicholson of Allerdale Borough Council who has stepped down as her new job has no dog control functions associated with it. NDWA President Sue Bell said '2008 is the 25th anniversary of NDWA and the Committee is working hard to organise an AGM and seminar that will reflect this landmark moment for us as an association'. Details of the 2008 seminar will be posted shortly on the NDWA website. Blue Cross Accused Of Breed Specific Exclusion Policy For Certain Breeds, 04/03/2008 23:28:14 K9 Magazine has an exlcusive account in which it is allegedthat the Blue Cross is operating a breed specific exclusion po0licy for certain breeds. The complete article including the Blue Cross' response can be read at: www.dogmagazine.net CRUFTS 2008, 04/03/2008 23:23:45 If you go to Crufts 2008 please make sure that you call in at the NDWA stand and say hello to those members running it. They would be pleased to meet up with other dog wardens from around the UK. If you have a couple of hours to spare, why not drop in and take over for an hour to allow somebody to go for a lunch break. D4 the Dog will be present as he is every year ready to pass comment on a wide range of subjects and to catch out unsuspecting passers by! For those of you going, do call in to the stand and I hope you have a great show whether you are showing or just watching. Something Is Going To Give Soon?, 28/02/2008 12:48:17 Is it me, or is there something 'in the air' regarding all the latest initiatives about dealing with youths who have dogs that are allegedly used to intimidate people? All I can think from reading various articles and watching TV shows is that the government is probably going to announce some further kind of restrictions on dogs, maybe not banning further breeds but at least imposing restrictions or even breed specific registration. Iit will be further Breed Specific Legislation and those organisations that promote or support it should be classed as being supporters or advocates of BSL. Although I may be a bit paranoid, all these announcements of this and that initiative being brought in all seem to be building up to something being announced very soon? All I can say is do not be surprised when it lands upon us all! I really do hope that I am wrong though on this occasion? , 15/02/2008 16:05:34 WANDSWORTH COUNCIL SEEKS DOG LICENCE FOR CERTAIN DOGS, 11/02/2008 14:47:41 Wandsworth Council is seeking the reintroduction of the dog licence for certain breeds of dog. What happened to spell the death knell of this licence the last time around was that the cost of collecting the revenue ended up costing more than the income received! The licence used to cost seven shillings and sixpence, then with decimalisation this became thirty five pence. According to an article in Wandsworth Council's monthly magazine: 'the licence would be restricted to pit bull type dogs and others not currently classified under the Dangerous Dogs Act' To qualify the owner would have to pas a fit and proper person test and pay a substantial fee that would help to pay for effective enforcement of the scheme.' Council Leader Edward Lister also comments: 'The problem is that just about anyone can own a dog. Most of the problems we have today are caused by young people aged between 13 and 17 who keep these menacing dogs but have no understanding of the responsibilities of ownership' Is this the way forward or a publicity seeking gimmick, there are plenty of people of all age groups, let's not be age specific who themselves have little or no understanding of the responsibilities of dog ownership. Do Wandsworth Council not know that 'pit bull' type dogs are illegal and if anyone has an unregistered one then they are already breaking the current law? Will Wandsworth Council end up licensing something that is illegal? What other dogs might Wandsworth Council decide to add to the licence requirements that are not currently classified under the Dangerous Dogs Act, could it be Rottweiler's, GSD's, Doberman's, Mastiff's or anything over a certain size? This 'restricted' licence idea screams Breed Specific Legislation (BSL), anybody who knows anything about dogs, will know that ANY dog can bite, why not apply the licence to all dogs and put an end to tempting the government with BSL? What will happen if this Breed Specific Licensing comes out......people will get a dog that falls outside the criteria and everyhing will be back to square one and there will still be BSL in the United Kingdom. The Normans only allowed dogs small enough to fit through a stirrup iron to live in and around the New Forest hunting grounds unmaimed, any bigger dogs would have to have some of their toes cut off to stop them chasing the Deer. Was this the first instance of Breed Specific Legislation? Dealing With Difficult Dogs and People Course, 03/02/2008 20:25:14 There are still places on the forthcoming NDWA Health & Safety Seminar that is being held at the Kegworth Whitehouse Hotel in Kegworth Derbyshire on the 1th & 12th March 2008. A course like this that deals with the two main areas that Dog Wardens come into almost daily conflict with, reiterates that the NDWA is dedicated to it's belief that nobody should have to come into contact with dogs without adequate training and the same is true for having to deal with irrate dog owners or even customers who have a dog related issue. All the speakers are experts in their fields, be it dealing with dogs or with people, their combined knowledge is being harnesed by NDWA to offer a unique opportunity for members and non members alike to attend a seminar that deals with the two most dangeous things that we face, unpredictable dogs and unpredictable people. The course is not confined to dog control staff, it is open to environmental health colleagues, pest control colleagues, other council staff, kennel staff, animal charity staff, Police staff, postal workers as well as members of the general public. YOU CAN BOOK YOUR PLACE BY CLICKING ON AGM'S AND SEMINAR'S ON THE NDWA WEBSITE. Serve Fixed Penalties At All Costs, 24/01/2008 20:55:01 There is a rumour circulating that a dog owner with Alzheimers Disease was served with a Fixed Penalty Notice for not clearing up after his dog by an enforcement officer working on behalf of a large city council. If you serve Fixed Penalty Notices on dog owners, do you have a line that you do not cross if it is obvious the dog owner may be in some way incapacitated, do you use compassion and understanding, or do you just think 'to hell with it', the more you serve the better it will be for you with the management. Perhaps you will get a bigger bonus for those who receive bonus payments for issuing Fixed Penalty tickets? Would anybody have thought that the person may obviously not have known what was going on,and perhaps not served a Fixed Penalty? Would any Dog Wardens or Enforcement Officers just think, it is still a 'scalp' and write out a ticket? If it is true and not some kind of urban legend then it is a really poor show on the part of the Enforcement Officer or do you think otherwise? Contact NDWA and let us know what you think about this. Your Association Needs You!, 23/01/2008 Crufts 2008 is fast approaching and the association could really do with some more volunteers to help run our award winning stand over the four day period of the show. Any length of time to help out would be great, be it a whole day, half a day, a few hours, or even to cover to let somebody go off for a lunch break whilst you are visiting Crufts. If you can help out please contact Mark Berrill on mberrill@ndwa.co.uk who is the NDWA Crufts organiser or alternatively contact NDWA via admin@ndwa.co.uk your help really would be appreciated as once it gets going on the stand it literally is non stop! Last year the stand featured on BBC TV, BBC Radio, Dutch TV and of course in Dog Warden News! Earth To DEFRA Come In?, 23/01/2008 Since the disclosure in October 2007 of just how Section 68 of the Clean Neighbourhoods Act 2005 was to be implemented by Local Authorites, DEFRA has literally disappeared off the radar in regard to guiding us the people who have to deal with the dogs post 6th April 2008? The clock really is ticking and questions remain unanswered and to date NDWA really has received no answer to a recent letter that sought clarification in regard to 'Acceptance Points' and the issue of liability in areas such as: 'Okay, can you take the dog to the council acceptance point at 'location X' in your car and they will take it off you' Several minutes later: 'What is that, the dog is guarding YOUR car' or What, the dog attacked the driver whilst heading down the motorway and the car crashed!' Perhaps the above may be slightly exaggerated but the 'guarding the car one' has happened in my district, a lady walking her brothers dog put it in the back of her estate car then tried to open the driver door to get in.....the dog was having none of it! In the end the Dog Warden Service removed the dog out of the car and had to take it home following the dog walker's who was now too worried about it being in her car! Of course it would not have happened if she had a dog guard in the back, but as she had no dog of her own, why would she need one? Could a similar scenario perhaps happen in our areas when the finder of a dog is advised to 'drive it to the acceptance point'. DEFRA may use the word 'practical' throughout their guidance, but just what will really be 'practical' once police responsibility ends on 6th April 2008 and Local Authorities are on their own? Welcome To The Blog Warden Page, 20/01/2008 Hello and welcome to the new NDWA website which thanks to the sterling efforts of Webmaster Simon is now up and running. The new look NDWA website and its format should now be easier to follow. Please keep visiting Blog Warden as we will endeavour to bring news, related matters and features appertaining to Dog Wardening to you as fast as we can, so that you will be the first to know. Hopefully you will find a mix of serious and fun entries on Blog Warden . Partnership Approach With Highways Agency Is Working, 20/01/2008 Early in December 2007, the Highways Agency requested assistance with five stray dogs on the motorway network in the Midlands Region. Dog Wardens from Birmingham Council and Solihull Council assisted the Highways Officers by dealing with the dogs. At the NDWA AGM and seminar in Birmingham in October 2007, Alison Smith from the Highways Agency gave a presentation on partnership working between the Highways Agency and Dog Warden Services. Instructions on how to work with Highways Officers can be downloaded from the NDWA website. Top tip: Download the instructions, laminate them and keep them in your vehicle. (Some local authorities have agreed that their Dog Wardens can assist, it is understood that some will not let their Dog Wardens assist on the hard shoulder, but will allow them to meet up at slip roads off the motorway) At the recent Hampshire and Isle of Wight Dog Warden Group meeting in Havant, a Highways Officer Supervisor attended the meeting and gave a presentation and asked for the contact numbers of all present to enable the right people to be contacted if there was a need for joint working operations on the motorways in the Hampshire area. If you hold county meetings, why not contact the Highways Agency and ask them to send the local supervisor or one of the officers to explain how they work and how you can work with them? |
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