Petition gathers pace as professional dog walkers banned from land owned by Great Yorkshire Show
A PETITION calling for the organisers of the Great Yorkshire Show to overturn a ban on their land for professional dog walkers is gathering pace.
The showground, in Harrogate, is managed by the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) which has traditionally allowed part of its land to be used by the local community.
As signs have gone up to state that commercial dog workers are no longer permitted, members have come together to call for change, securing more than 500 signatures.
Hannah Whewell is a professional dog walker who has been using this bit of land for 17 years, since it was a golf course.
"It's incredibly frustrating," she said. "They have put up signs to say 'commercial dog walkers are not permitted in this area'.
"There is a bit of an uproar. We are doing a job for local people. I'm local myself. We put up with all the extra traffic and disruption for events. This was giving back, to the community."
The YAS, a registered charity, owns the showground as a venue for farming events and activities, which contribute an estimated £73.7m to the economy.
The charity has received about verbal abuse on members of the public, and reports of dog attacks. As it is unable to police such behaviours, or the risk assessments and insurance policies, it can no longer allow commercial walkers, it said.
Ms Whewell said this wasn't a fair decision.
"We always make sure the dogs are under control," she said. "We pick up after ourselves. I accept there is the odd bad dog walker – you can't lump us all in together."
The petition, on Change.org, calls on the Yorkshire Agricultural Society (YAS) to reverse its decision.
The area is "unmatched" locally, it states, providing a vital space for dogs to exercise, socialise and thrive.
"This space has long been a shared community asset, used respectfully by professional dog walkers, families, and other visitors," it reads.
The Yorkshire Agricultural Society has stressed that this decision applies only to commercial dog walkers - responsible family owners are welcome.
“The society does wish to clarify that all responsible dog walkers, who are not walking their dogs as part of commercial dog walking services, are welcome to use the public footpaths and bridleways at the Great Yorkshire Showground, and these routes are clearly indicated on signage," a spokesperson said.
“Action has been taken to deter commercial dog walking at the showground for the safety and enjoyment of all visitors after the society was contacted by a number of different dog walkers who have reported being verbally abused by commercial dog walkers.
“The society has also been contacted by members of the public reporting that their dogs had been attacked by the dogs that some commercial dog walkers bring in large packs and allow to roam off leads.
“The society cannot police this behaviour, nor the risk assessments or insurance policies held by commercial dog walkers who use the showground’s public footpaths and bridleways.”