The Horticulture Department proposed a pet ban on Cubbon Park from 1 July onwards and people are not happy.
Story so far: On the evening of 25 June, Cubbon Park Canines and Cubbon Dog Park posted a petition on Change.org against the Horticulture Department’s proposal. This isn’t the first time the department has tried to ban pets from the park, but public outrage usually gets them to rethink their plans.
- This time, the department proposed the ban after they received around 300 complaints about unleashed dogs running around the park and dog poop being left unattended everywhere.
- Animal welfare activists said that this is nothing other than an extreme reaction to a couple of bad eggs. Without free access to the park, several dogs will lose their ability to run around.
- The online petition already has over 5,500 signatures.
Way forward: Several activists have said that banning pets from open fields doesn’t do anything for the public. Instead, establishing clear rules on pet ownership and etiquette will be a better way to deal with this. Imposing fines for misbehaviour can also help.