The owner of a dog friendly cafe in Hampton Hill, 'Paws for Coffee', has condemned new controls requiring leads in the Royal Parks.

The new rules ban dogs from being allowed to run free in Bushy and Richmond parks for 13 weeks from May 4 through until August 2, in order to protect birthing deer.

The move has been criticised as 'totally disproportionate', a 'travesty' and 'excessive' by dog owners, while a petition calling for the rules to be scrapped or amended now has almost 2,000 signatures.

Louise Rawlinson, who runs the dog-friendly cafe just a few yards from an entrance to Bushy Park, said the controls have driven away dog walkers and so have devastated takings.

"The new rules have affected my business immensely. Already, we have dropped by half," she said.

"Of course, I respect the deer and the rules…but I would suggest that we have an area where the dogs can go into.

"This is going to affect the High Street and if this is going to happen every year – May to August – I don't know if I am going to survive this.

"There is no support. We don't know how long we can survive for if they keep putting these stupid rules in."

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Petition launched to allow dogs off leads in Bushy and Richmond Parks

The new rules have sparked a social media war, with people promoting the petition getting strong criticism from those who argue the safety of the deer is paramount.

Critics of the rules say it is cruel to keep dogs on leads at all times as this creates anxiety for the animals and their owners.

And some owners say they have no choice but to drive their dogs to other parks to allow them to run free - adding to traffic and pollution.

A requirement for leads was introduced for the first time last year, but it operated for a much shorter seven week period.

A petition on Change.org titled 'Allow Dogs OFF leads in Bushy & Richmond Park' was posted by Tamra Cave, who said she accepts this is an emotive issue.

There were 90 reports of dogs chasing deer in the two parks over a year and at least five deaths as a result.

Against this, Cave said there are an estimated 365,000 dog walks in the parks and the authorities cull around 90 deer each year to control the numbers.

"This new regulation is using a sledge hammer to crack a nut,' she said.

"Keeping a dog permanently on a lead in a park is like giving a child a toy and saying you can't play with it.

"We all need to work together as animal and park lovers to enjoy the park and keep everyone safe - deer, dogs, children, cyclists and runners.

"The deer breeding areas can be marked on maps so as to be avoided and dogs kept on lead around these areas.

"We have never needed to keep dogs on leads until last year when restrictions were mostly about Covid."

A person who signed the petition wrote: "Whilst I don't freely use mental health as a reason/excuse. I truly think this ban WILL affect people's mental health.

"We have nowhere for now to feel the joy of walking our dogs off lead - the majority of dog owners are extremely responsible and steer clear of deer."

Many supporters of the petition argued that a bigger threat to deer is humans who get too close, attempting to feed what are wild animals, littering and even youngsters throwing sticks at them.

Simon Richards, Park Manager for Richmond Park, explained the controls.

He said: "During the deer birthing season, we strongly advise that dogs are not walked in either Richmond or Bushy Parks but, if this is not possible, dogs must be on leads in all areas of the parks.

"Female deer are afraid of dogs harming their young. Concern for their newborn means they may act defensively towards dogs - they have been known to give chase and attack, even if the dog is at a distance and not acting provocatively.

"Dog walkers must remain vigilant, avoid areas of dense vegetation and stick to the perimeter of the park.

"As a dog owner myself, I know this can be frustrating, but it really is for the safety of both deer and dogs.

"We're sorry for any inconvenience caused and we thank all our visitors for their support with these measures."

A man was fined £602 in January after his dog fatally injured a deer during a 'relentless' attack in Richmond Park.

Dramatic footage filmed by a cyclist showed Franck Hiribarne's red setter, Alfie, rushing at the small hind, jumping up at her and dragging her backwards.

In November, a frightened group of fallow deer nearly trampled a photographer after they were sent stampeding by a puppy which was off the lead.

The dramatic incident was captured by photographer Max Ellis. In September, he took pictures of a small French bulldog confronting a stag.

"I've seen dogs chase the deer on many occasions. It's natural for dogs to chase deer and poorly trained animals find them irresistible," he said.

What do you think about the new regulations? Let us know!

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