Six in ten Britons say it is acceptable for a dog to be off its lead in a park, though only one in six think it’s okay when walking down the street
A London council is facing a backlash from dog owning residents over proposed new restrictions which could potentially require dogs to be on leads at all times, including in parks. The council says the new measures are needed to tackle increases in dog attacks, as well as persistent fouling.
So what do Britons – who are often said to be a nation of dog lovers, with 28% of the public currently owning at least one dog and another 30% having owned one in the past – think of the pets’ behaviour in public?
A ban on dogs being off their leads in public parks would likely find only minority support, with just 35% of Britons seeing such behaviour as unacceptable, compared to six in ten (62%) who think it is perfectly fine for a dog to be unleashed in a park. Nonetheless, this does come with the caveat that 94% of Britons think it is a reasonable expectation that dog owners should be able to get their dog under control at all times.
Where Britons are less okay with dogs being off the lead is just walking down the street, which only 18% of the public see as acceptable, against eight in ten (80%) who believe it is unacceptable, including three quarters of dog owners (76%).
One in six Britons are uncomfortable around dogs
But although dog ownership is common, affection for ‘man’s best friend’ is not universal. One in six Britons (17%) describe themselves as feeling some degree of discomfort around dogs, although only 38% of this group say they are uncomfortable around all dogs (accounting for around 6% of all Britons).
The most common reason people say they are anxious around dogs is finding them unpredictable, at 69%. Half of people who are uncomfortable around dogs (49%) say they find them scary or aggressive, while 36% say they find dogs unclean and 34% say their unease is driven by dogs coming too close to them.
A quarter of those uncomfortable around dogs (26%) say they have previously been attacked by a dog, while one in ten (10%) say they are allergic to them.
Another key complaint is that too many dog owners are irresponsible, identified as a reason for their discomfort by 58% of those uncomfortable around dogs.
Here, though, there is a gulf in perception. While three quarters of dog owners (74%) believe that owners are generally considerate of people who are uncomfortable around dogs, this is true of only 25% of those who actually are uncomfortable around dogs, with seven in ten (70%) instead saying dog owners are generally inconsiderate of people like them.
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Photo: Getty
