Canada goose killed by dog in Clissold Park: man arrested

The remaining Canada goose and her three chicks, Clissold Park. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Irresponsible dog owners in Hackney are in the spotlight again after a wild Canada goose was attacked and killed in Clissold Park last month.

The Citizen has been told that shocked witnesses watched as a Staffordshire bull terrier dog bit the Canada goose’s head off near Runtzmere Lake in the park. One onlooker called the police, who made one arrest. A 24-year-old man has been summoned to court for having a dog out of control in a public place.

The attack, on 12 May, follows an incident in February this year when a dog entered the park’s deer enclosure and killed one of the herd.

John Hudson, Secretary of the Clissold Park User Group, said that he was “appalled” by the death of the goose, but added that “Clissold Park dog owners are very responsible in the overwhelming majority of cases.”

“Walkers, cyclists, children, dog walkers and all kinds of users enjoy the park co-operatively and peacefully together,” he said. “99.9% of the time, there are no problems.”

The User Group is currently consulting with park users on new dog control measures, including the possible introduction of more dog-free areas. Mr Hudson also encouraged all park users to contribute to Hackney Council’s borough-wide public consultation on dog control.

The Council’s consultation, launched on 23 May, is looking to tackle irresponsible dog ownership by collecting public feedback on the proposed introduction of several new Dog Control Orders. The proposals include a ‘dog exclusion’ order and a ‘dogs on leads’ order which would give the Council the power to deal with a variety of dog nuisances.

Councillor Sophie Linden, Cabinet Member for Crime, Sustainability and Customer Services, emphasised that the proposals were designed to deal with the “minority of owners who allow their dogs to act aggressively.”

In addition to the consultation the Council, in partnership with organisations including the charity Dogs Trust, has launched an educational programme designed to promote responsible dog ownership and support Hackney dog owners.

The Council’s moves come as the Mayor of London’s office is putting increasing pressure on the Government to deal with the issue of dangerous dogs in the capital. Last month Kit Malthouse, Deputy Mayor for Policing, handed in a petition of 4,500 signatures to 10 Downing Street calling for the Government to increase the penalties for owners of dangerous and aggressive dogs.

The Mayor’s Office is calling for tougher punishments for the owners of dogs that have been trained for use as weapons. Handing in the petition, Mr Malthouse said that “the Government needs to act urgently to protect Londoners and their pets from savage attacks by weapon dogs.” He cited a Greater London Authority survey from December 2010 which found that 43% of Londoners were concerned about nuisance or dangerous dogs in their local parks.

The Status Dogs Unit was set up by the Mayor’s Office and the Metropolitan Police in 2009 to deal with the problem of so-called ‘status’ or ‘weapon’ dogs. In 2010, the Unit seized 47 dogs from addresses in Hackney, a council spokesperson said.

However, Clissold Park users argued that the focus should be on irresponsible owners rather than the animals themselves. Denise Bennett, a local resident who fosters abandoned dogs including the much-maligned Staffordshire bull terriers, says that a lot of the problems with dangerous dogs are caused by owners training them to be aggressive.

“Dogs are only dangerous because of their owners,” she said. “They’re not born dangerous.”

Hackney Council’s consultation on dog control runs until 14 August. To contribute, visit the council’s website and complete the questionnaire, or phone 020 8356 4504 to request a paper copy.