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Important Developments

NEW FEES DEAL TO GIVE NFDOG MORE CLOUT - Jul 2007

Radical changes to membership fees offer NFDOG members a unique opportunity to boost significantly the strength of the group.

In the biggest modification since NFDOG was launched in 2001, members can now sign up partners and children who support the group for just £1 a head.

Life membership is also being offered for a one-off payment of £60.

Said Membership Secretary Penny Gayler: “These changes mean that hundreds more voices could be added to the thousands who already belong to or support us. That would massively strengthen the standing of NFDOG in future negotiations.

“The new structure was driven on by our members. Now the ball is in their court.

“All they have to do is get the agreement of other family members living in the same household to add their names to our register. A wife renewing her membership for £5 whom signs up her husband and son would pay a total of only £7.

“We can offer this tremendous deal because we make big savings in administration costs if several members live in the same house. We also save on sending out renewal notices if supporters go for the life membership deal.”

The new deal needed the approval of members at an extraordinary general meeting in Brockenhurst in February since they involved changes to the constitution. The committee suggested life membership could be offered for a one-off payment of £40. But Cedric Lark and Richard Wallace, both from Brockenhurst, thought that was too low and could cause NFDOG financial problems. Members were asked for a show of hands for the option of charging £60 for life membership and the majority voted in favour.

Chairman Pauline Ludlow said: “Anyone who saw the impact of the huge numbers attending our launch in Lyndhurst in 2001 will not need convincing that lots of people equals influence.

“This is by far the best opportunity members have of helping us continue to win the argument that well-controlled dogs should be allowed to be walked off lead.”

The chairman issued this challenge to members: “Please, please play your part now by signing up family members to ensure NFDOG goes from strength to strength.”

An application form to join NFDOG can be downloaded from the Membership section of this web site.

DOC RON TO KEEP NFDOG FINANCES HEALTHY - Jul 2007

NFDOG’s new Treasurer is Doctor Ron Pearson.

Ron, who is the owner of two golden retrievers, recently moved to Brockenhurst after 36 years as a general practitioner in Havant. He is semi-retired, working occasionally as a ship’s doctor on cruises with the Fred Olsen line.

He has had dogs all of his life. His retrievers, Drummer (4) and Stormy (6), are used to pick up game birds on a shoot in winter, and attend working tests for gun dogs all over the southern counties in summer. Both have qualified for Crufts for life as the result of being winners in championship shows.

Said Ron: “I joined NFDOG to support the campaign to protect our traditional privileges in the New Forest. I do not like walking without a dog and get great pleasure from walking them off lead. They are trained to the whistle and so are always under control.”

Walkies Good for Dogs, People and The Forest, NPA Told - Jan 2007

A fourteen-page report setting out NFDOG’s definitive views on the freedom to walk dogs has been delivered to the New Forest National Park Authority (NPA).

The carefully researched paper, running to more than 13,000 words, was the work of veterinary surgeon and NFDOG committee member David Dickenson. It sets out--at times, passionately—the health benefits of walking dogs off lead, and how ill informed critics create problems for dog owners.

The paper was presented to NPA Recreation Officer, Saira Evans, and Director of Understanding and Enjoyment, Jeff Haynes, at a consultation meeting to discuss their proposed recreation strategy. David Dickenson was joined by fellow committee member Tony Marshall to present the paper.

It points out that the pleasure an owner derives from watching their dog exercise freely is often considerable. The massive public reaction in 2001, when Foot-and-mouth restrictions on dog walking were left in place in the Forest, showed how deeply this is felt. The report adds: “Non-dog owners are often unable to appreciate the powerful emotions this evokes in many dog owners, and there is a potential for conflict.”

David Dickenson goes on: “Dog owners perceive (and as a veterinary surgeon, I would support this) a huge difference in the quality of life for a dog allowed to run off lead in the countryside, provided it is kept under proper control, compared to being forced to walk on a fixed or extending lead.

“From the physical point of view, no amount of walking on lead would be enough to satisfy the needs of most dogs. From the mental point of view, the dog derives much pleasure from being able to interact socially with other dogs or their owners, and explore the surroundings in a natural way.

“Walking on a lead is unnatural and frustrating to a dog. I have always strongly encouraged my clients to train their dog to be able to be walked off lead in a responsible manner, from the earliest days of acquiring them as puppies. Obesity is common in dogs walked on lead, but dogs given regular off lead walks remain alert and slim. The dog’s frustration if kept on lead is keenly felt by their owner, who also gets less pleasure from the walk.“

The Dickenson report then goes on to set out the health benefits of dog walking for the owners. “People have an absolute passion for the New Forest, and walking their dog provides them with much happiness and a feeling of well-being. NFDOG invited members to submit a copy of a questionnaire filled in for the England Marketing Report. We received many beautiful and poetic descriptions in answer to the question ‘What do you most enjoy about your visits to the New Forest countryside?’ with the word ‘freedom’ figuring prominently.

“At a national level, a number of government departments are working together to promote active daily living by integrating policies on health, education, sports, leisure and recreation, transport, town and rural, planning, social exclusion and employment. Walking is listed as a ‘health enhancing physical activity’.

“Dog walking is a duty for the owner as well as a pleasure, and thus there is a far lower opt-out of regular exercise because of laziness, indifferent health and bad weather. This is clear to see on any rainy day in the New Forest. Many car parks are still nearly full of cars, virtually all owned by people out walking their dogs. Dog walking is especially recognised as excellent for the mental and physical health of old people, encouraging them to remain active, and giving them a feeling of usefulness and companionship.

“A benefit that dog walkers provide to the New Forest is that, because of their wide penetration into the woods and heath land, they act as very useful eyes and ears. This lessens inappropriate behaviour in other users, and in particular provides warning of injured or diseased wild animals and livestock.”

The report spells out that NFDOG wishes to see responsible dog walking, off lead, retained throughout the New Forest. “NFDOG is concerned at the constant barrage of anti-dog sentiment that seeks to lessen or remove the right of the public to do this. This concern is placed against a backdrop of increasing anti-dog restrictions all over the country, pandering to ill-informed sentiment, often using pseudo-scientific babble to support their case. One example of this was the recent England Marketing Report that drew quite unsupportable conclusions from an indifferent marketing survey. Those conclusions were then highly publicised by the Forestry Commission with the addition of other misplaced anti-dog statements on posters all around the Forest, and a national media campaign. This effectively destroyed what should have been a harmonious clean-up campaign of benefit to all. Dog owners therefore feel very much under threat.

“Both the Forestry Commission and NFDOG have since re-established a good relationship, and are working together, albeit not always in agreement.

“NFDOG recognises that a poorly controlled dog can be harmful, and dog owners carry a strong duty to act responsibly. In no way will NFDOG act as an apologist for inappropriate behaviour.”

The report finishes with this heartfelt plea. “The overwhelming wish of NFDOG members is to be left alone to get on with their quiet enjoyment. They are very happy with their current freedom, and to a large extent their interaction with other Forest users works well. All wish this freedom to be protected for future generations. They do not wish to become a threatened species.”

After the meeting, David Dickenson said: “It was clear the NPA were there to listen to our views, and they did that well. Now they are gathering more views informally from other groups before full public consultation, leading to the publication of plans for their recreation strategy in Spring 2008. We are optimistic that full account will be taken of our views, especially since we are by far the biggest user group in the Forest.”

Update to NFDog Committee - Oct 2006

Two new members have been appointed to the committee of NFDOG.

Chris Lemon, from Totton, has been a keen supporter since NFDOG was formed in 2001. She was a steward at the launch meeting in Lyndhurst and has been a helper on the NFDOG stand at the New Forest Show.

Chris, a recently retired teacher, has two Irish setters called Jessie and Chloe. Because she lives outside the Forest, Chris has a keen interest in the car park closure issue. She has to use them every time she walks her dogs in the Forest.

Chris is also concerned about the general spread of anti-dog sentiment. She said: “More and more councils seem to be forcing people to walk dogs on leads, often for no good reason. Dogs cannot get the exercise they need if kept on the lead, especially breeds such as setters.”

The other newcomer is Kate Hurcombe from Tiptoe. She joined NFDOG three years ago.

Kate has five dogs – Labrador Scooby, collie cross Sheeba, lurcher Lily, Border collie Jim and mongrel Bubbles – all of which are rescue dogs. Kate used to be the manager of boarding kennels at West Moors and now runs her own business caring for dogs when their owners are on holiday.

Kate, who is 29, said: “ I am looking forward to representing the opinions of younger members of NFDOG. I am completely behind the principle that dogs should be allowed to exercise off lead in the Forest, so long as they under control. There can be no compromise over that issue.”

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