Wadsley and Loxley Common

[Muddy Paws 10]

Could not agree more. The Common has become just one big dog toilet and if stepping in it is not enough we now have artistically arranged bags of the stuff hanging from trees for the rest of us to look at.

 

It's about preserving lowland heath. Responsible dog owners have nothing to fear because, with their well-trained dogs under control, their dogs will be safe. It's only the irresponsible owners with poo-fouling-out-of-control dogs that seem to be bleating...

And who would that be? as I didn't see any of those.

[ricm 10]

And who would that be? as I didn't see any of those.

 

Well... glad to see your paws only get muddy. I'm fed up of cleaning off dog poo. As a responsible dog career does it not depress you equally? And does it not depress you that we are about to lose a valuable and endangered habitat?

 

If not cattle then what solution do you propose?

[WallBuilder 10]

apparently it's sttill at the consultation stage the last public meeting is on 22 August at Wadsley church with a further meeting to review the findings. I've raised a couple of issues with council officers and have queried some of the statements being made online and am now awaaiting a response from the officers on the issues I've raised.

[TimmyR 10]

I think you mean the "very small proportion of dog owners that don't pick up their pet's poo". Do not tar them all with that pooey brush you got there!

 

If you don't like where you put your feet now, bet you can't wait for the cows, they do REALLY BIG POOS!! Quite how cow poo doesn't stink is a little beyond my comprehension, granted I don't get close and take a nice deep breath, but I do recall it smelling rather vile.

 

That very small proportion must create a lot of poo because there is a ridiculous amount of it. You'll just have to accept that ownership of dogs comes with a certain amount of tarring with same brush. (I get it all the time as a CYCLIST - we get bashed constantly on this forum - its just life I'm afraid)

 

Dog poo stinks, cow poo does not. Furthermore the cow poo will be concentrated around the fenced off areas, the dog poo is concentrated around the main paths within 500m of the car parks which is as far as the lazy dog owners go (the ones likely to leave the dog mess). What we need to do is deny access to all but the needy (disabled, infirm) to the car parks that way lazy dog fouling scum will be deterred.

 

That or install sniper towers.

Edited August 22, 2012 by TimmyR

[tree lover 10]

All those people who are worried about meeting a dog on the Commons should consider what it will be like to meet a two ton highland cow face to face. It won’t be on a lead and there will be no owner to call it away. It’s faeces will also be a much larger problem in every sense of the word, especially as they can transmit E-coli.

[tree lover 10]

Hardly. Cattle need to eat enormous amounts to get ill. Most will just leave it alone. However they do trample it which controls it. Wild boar can eat it without effect but your really don't want one of those taking on your dog.

 

I've just noticed this thread and so have one or two questions. If certain area's are fenced off are they really going to allow the public to be able to traipse through those area's after all cattle have been known to be quite tepremental at times so I'd of thought they'd be kept seperated from the public. Also I'm a dog owner myself and hate stepping in somepoo left by a dog owner who doesn't want to pick it up, this soundds as though it's a problem up there. So who has contacted the council and asked for the dog wardens to start watching and fining such owners, same in Hillsborough park which i notice the none dog owning grumblers mentioning quite often. I also rather doubt that any person with responsibility for the cattle are going to allow them to graze wher there is a bracken that could make them ill or worse, that wouldn't seem sensible and I suspect the RSPCA may have something to say on that, What sort of fencing is going to be put up there as well because we probably all have heard about the tactics of some scrap metal thieves

 

If you read the information provided by the rangers you will realise that the the cattle will be allowed on one third of the common at any one time and the only way to get from one part of the common to another will be by traversing one of these. Make no mistake, if you walk across the common you will have to walk through a large area in which highland cattle will be ranging at will. There are large quantities of bracken in each area and the rangers will not be controlling where the cattle grow and feed. The issue of poisoning has been raised with them but they simply say that the cattle will not eat bracken.

[ladyB 10]

I think the plastic poo bags are more harmful to our rnviroment..

[WallBuilder 10]

I read the info provided and so then clambered up the chain of command to get some more facts which don't leap out at you, for example the cattle are going to be de-horned and there is going to be a maximum number of ten. However as the idea is still in the consultation phase then I was able to rraise my concerns regarding access issues and am hoping it'll be put on the agenda of the access group who keep the council on the boil with all sorts of access issues amongst other things

[Wardsbitter 10]

WallBuilder,

 

I am not sure what you mean by access group. The Wadsley and Loxley Commoners?

 

Birch seems to overrunning the place and I find myself bemused by the argument that its being persecuted. Will the cows be kept safe? That seems to be an important point.

 

Wards Bitter

[larde 10]

We're all for the cattle plan, what's more important - protecting a scarce habitat or providing one large dog toilet for lazy dog owners who have no respect for the habitat or others wishing to enjoy the area. We live a 5 minute walk from the common but no longer take my toddler there as its full of dog mess & stinks. He can't run about as he has ran/fell in dog muck, its everywhere. Beware lazy dog owners, we are watching you...prepare to be named & shamed.

 

but you dont mind the cow crap and cow crap smells alot worse and prob has more bugs in it anyway but your not bothered about your toddler falling in that with the sound of it

dont get me wrong i hate it when dog owners arent responsible but if it wasnt for dog walkers alot of land would be built on already or fenced of with no right of entry for anyone

[WallBuilder 10]

Sorry, the access liaison group is a group of disabled folk who have a monthly meeting in which they help and advise the council on a variety of topics. There is a range of disabilities and the group is quite well thought of by the council and it has a lot of input in many planning decisions such as Tudor Square, The Crucible, The new market new road designs, streetfurniture and so on. The council also employs two access officers who both work exceedingly hard for disabled folk in Sheffield. The group is comprised mainly of members of the public who are volunteers, the two access officers, some councillors and council officers who come as and when needed I've now alerted the officers about the idea of mixing cattle and people, kissing gates and access issues from the car parks

[taxman 12]

but you dont mind the cow crap and cow crap smells alot worse and prob has more bugs in it anyway but your not bothered about your toddler falling in that with the sound of it

dont get me wrong i hate it when dog owners arent responsible but if it wasnt for dog walkers alot of land would be built on already or fenced of with no right of entry for anyone

 

So how would you preserve a very rare habitat and stop it being taken over by trees and bracken?