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Latest news...The Friendly Dog ClubA local dog training club is being threatened with closure by New Milton Town Council. As a group, NFDOG promote responsible dog ownership and feel that training and socialisation are vitally important. Please support them by visiting www.friendlydogs.com and signing their petition.
SEASONAL
CANINE ILLNESS ALERTS!
Thanks goes to one of
our members for bringing to our
attention an on-going investigation by the Animal Health Trust
regarding
Seasonal Canine Illness.They know that cases are generally seen between August and November, that it can affect any size, shape or sex of dog and it causes dogs to become very ill, very quickly. The most common clinical signs of SCI are sickness, diarrhoea and lethargy. If you suspect your dog is showing symptoms of SCI then please contact your vet immediately. For any holiday-makers, the four “hot spots” the Trust are currently investigating are: Clumber Park Last year they produced questionnaires for visitors to the above areas and received over 400 responses – the responses are currently being analysed by their staff. The Animal Health Trust would like to keep dog owners as informed as possible and they plan to do this through their website and e-mail alerts. If you would like to receive e-mail alerts as soon as they have new information then you can sign up for these on www.aht.org.uk and just click on the story about SCI. Working together for a cleaner ForestNew Forest Dog Owners Group (NFDOG) is working with the Forestry Commission and New Forest National Park Authority to improve the experience of local people and visitors to the forest.If we can all find a way of helping to reduce the nuisance of dog poo in the more populated areas it should enhance everyone’s experience. Why deal with dog poo? Nobody likes picking their way over dog poo and families have as much right to play around car parks and picnic areas without this nuisance, as we have to walk from the car parks with our dogs. How can you help? Given that you cannot always control where your dog decides to perform, the following best practice is advised: DO: * Keep your dogs in the car until ready to walk with them * Keep your dogs under very close control, on lead if necessary, until well away from the car park / picnic area * Watch your dogs so that you may be aware if they do decide to poo * Pick up and bag any poo in and around car parks and anywhere that people are likely to picnic or play * Put the bag and its contents in any rubbish bin provided, or drop it in a dog bin * On paths away from car parks or picnic areas, use a stick to flick poo into shrubby vegetation, where people cannot tread on it. DON’T: * Leave bags full of poo littering the forest or hanging on bushes * Stick and flick poo on open grass or on gravel or tarmac surfaces. It will be more difficult for people to avoid * Be embarrassed to discuss this best practice with NFDOG members and forest rangers, who are helping to promote this code, or with other dog walkers who might not be as careful as you. Forestry Commission Work
near Godshill
The
work currently being undertaken at
Latchmore and Ditchend Brooks has caused consternation among some of
our members.
We have made enquiries and can quote, from an email received from Simon Weymouth, Forestry Commission: “Wetland Restoration is a core requirement of the HLS scheme and for which the New Forest receives 50% of its HLS funding”. The Higher Stewardship Scheme is spearheaded from Europe through DEFRA. The works at Godshill are clearly just one area in a whole series of projects, attempting to put parts of the New Forest back to where they were 60 years ago. NFDOG
Committee has broken down the issue into three parts:
1. Anything directly affecting dog walking (e.g. car park closures etc.) 2. Pre-knowledge of this sort of work due to be carried out 3. The whole issue of European monies being made available through the HLS schemes. Of
these three, 1 and 2 are well within our remit and we have started
dialogue through various forums to ensure better prior
communication. This should be achievable through formal
routes.
Number 3 is a lot more difficult and, whilst we can clearly lend
support to any reasoned opposition to the ‘ripping up of the
Forest’ we cannot take on the whole of Europe!Further Information:
2011 will focus on three sites, Fletchers Thorns, Ditchend Brook and Roe Inclosure. Work on Latchmore Brook is postponed until 2012. The proposal for Latchmore will mean temporary closure of the small car park at Ogdens. All works were approved by Natural England, the National Park Authority, the Verderers and Commoner’s Defence Association as part of the whole site consultation. We do have a paper, giving the rationale behind the works at Godshill – please email for a copy of this. The schemes pass through various working groups and you can find the Minutes of Working Group 2 at www.hlsnewforest.org.uk |
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