The Department for Communities (DfC) is demanding that dogs are kept always on leads at Inch Abbey, a historical tourist site outside Downpatrick. For many years, owners and their dogs have been coming to the Abbey grounds to play and socialise and, until recently, there has never been any enforcement or indeed signage requiring dogs be kept on leads. There is no recent event where dogs have caused harm to the public or the ruins that has brought about this change and restrictions to the freedom of well-controlled dogs and their responsible owners to exercise them here. The Abbey grounds are one of the few places in the locality where dogs can exercise off lead and where there is no charge for entry meaning this is an important facility for many people in the community. It is a life line for many older residents due to the ease of access to exercise their dogs and for those people who are lonely, it is much needed daily social interaction. It is claimed by the DfC that the dogs cause harm to the ruins but no evidence has been provided and given the number of wild animals for whom this is their habitat and humans who play amongst the ruins, it would be hard to estimate the level of harm any group causes.

It is an established fact that well exercised dogs are happy dogs and less likely to have behavioural issues and, this coupled with the positive mental health benefits for their owners, means that unnecessary stress is being inflicted for no clearly discernible reason. The Inch Abbey dog walking community, like any, is made up of regulars and visitors and to take this away will be hugely detrimental to the area.

Please take some time to sign this petition and stop this regulation and the threat of enforcement on people of all ages and ability and their likewise dogs. THANK YOU