Dog owners in Oldham raise concerns over irresponsible ownership

Dog owners in Oldham are raising concerns about irresponsible pet ownership as two major animal charities launch a national consultation on the issue. While 96% of dog owners believe they're responsible, 86% of the public say they've encountered problems with others' pets. At Daisy Nook Country Park, regular walkers report mixed experiences-from occasional dog bites to widespread littering since bins were removed two years ago.

Barry Moran, 80, walks daily with his deaf shar pei Charlie, who was once bitten by another dog whose owner 'wasn't bothered.' He's noticed more dog fouling since the council removed all bins from the park, with some owners leaving waste bags on fences intending to collect them later but forgetting. 'What you do see also, people picking it up and they leave it on the fence with the intention of picking it up on the way back, but they forget,' he said.

Tammy, 53, carries a plastic bag collecting litter she finds while walking, saying most dog owners she encounters are 'very responsible' but 'you might get the odd one that you can see it's been there for a few days.' Retired couple Clive Penson and Anne Stott agree most owners are considerate, putting dogs on leads when seeing horses or other dogs. But Clive Highton, 63, from Delph, describes some behaviours as 'anti-social'-letting dogs off leads in crowded places, using extended leads that...

The Dogs Trust and RSPCA consultation aims to understand what responsible ownership means today, with surveys open to both dog owners and non-owners. As more people than ever own dogs, the gap between self-perception and public experience raises questions about whether current standards are enough to keep parks like Daisy Nook safe and clean for everyone.