GRAPPENHALL and Thelwall Parish Council has moved swiftly to ban dogs from a children’s playground following complaints of “uncontrollable” dogs terrorising youngsters and their parents.
A sign stating “No Dogs except Guide Dogs” is to be erected at the play area in the park at the top of Euclid Avenue, Grappenhall.
The council took action after receiving a letter from a local woman who has taken her daughter and her friends to the park for years but has recently faced problems because of dogs.
Jennifer Wright told the council she had complained to a woman who had let her dog off its lead in the enclosed play area after the animal had jumped at her daughter, aged eight and two nieces, aged one and three.
The woman had responded by shouting that the dog was causing no problem and to “leave it alone.”
In fact, the dog ran away from its owner and was climbing all over the children’s play equipment, when though two toddlers were trying to use it. In the end, all the children were forced to leave the park to get away from the animal.
Coun Mike Biggin, chairman of the parish council said: “We took this matter very seriously and decided to have the sign erected as soon as possible. Whether it will be enough remains to be seen.”
He said the council had particularly had in mind the recent case of a two-year-old girl from Manchester who was at risk of losing the sight of one eye as a result of catching texocariasis, a potentially lethal disease cause by dog faeces which could also cause blindness.
