A Northern Ireland council has withdrawn plans to ban dogs from a number of local sites from consultation following local concerns.
Mid and East Antrim BC’s proposed Dog Control Order would have excluded local hounds from dedicated children’s play areas and playing fields.
Measures would have meant anyone caught walking their dog in 96 listed areas would have faced a fine of £80.
In a statement, the council said: ‘Officers have acknowledged that the public would find the proposals extremely stringent in terms of the number and extent of the exclusion areas and have on the request of the mayor and councillors withdrew the consultation.’
This matter will be considered further in the future by Mid and East Antrim Borough Council.
The consultation was originally planned to run until 19 June, but was withdrawn just 10 days after it was launched.
Mayor Cllr Billy Ashe said the proposals had originally been designed to tackle ‘irresponsible dog ownership’ and ‘improve the areas that we live in and visit’.
