Why is The Government Ignoring Dog Wardens Over Stray Dogs?
Posted By Neil Burton Date: 15/04 Posted Under: Canine Columns, Social IssuesBy Neil Burton NDWA Chairman (All Rights Reserved)I am extremely grateful to Cuthbert Jackson for his extensive article regarding stray dogs post 6th April 2008 published on www.dogmagazine.net.
All that the members of NDWA can say to their employers and the public, is sadly, WE TOLD YOU SO.
It is not nice to have to write that, but NDWA as an assocation has been saying this all along on a variety of canine related legislation that has subsequently been enacted during the lifetime of NDWA over the last twenty five years. Although
it is distressing to feel that Governments of the day and their advisors do not deign to listen to what dog control professionals have to say as the people on the ground actually doing the job, it is important that NDWA’s collective views are known by the public and employers through sites such as K9 Magazine and the NDWA’s own website at www.ndwa.co.uk
Admittedly however, when information is required through the use of a Freedom of Information request, organisations seem to become very interested in what NDWA members and their dog control colleagues who are not members of the association have to say then when they are asked for stray dog figures and other associated information?
At the risk of sounding like some kind of ‘moaning minnie’ type, I have lost count of the number of times over the years of legislation that the government has brought out, that has then subsequently turned out to be badly thought out ill
advised, was criticised by NDWA as an association?
Prime examples are:
The Dangerous Dogs Act
The Clean Neighbourhoods & Environment Act 2005
The implementation of Section 68 of the CNEA2005.
If the government fails to listen to or it fails to treat NDWA with any respect, is it because they do not like what it has to say? If it is, it shows just how important it is that NDWA continues as an association that is apolitical and not
afraid to tell the government of the day that it believes as the people who actually do the job, something is not going to work out?
The positive thing about NDWA is that it continues to grow and in this it’s silver jubilee year it is hosting an international animal control conference to mark this milestone in October 2008. The conference is open to everybody, members, non
members, animal charities, the police and the general public and amongst the range of highly experienced and knowledgeable speakers, there will be speakers from Australia and the USA.
NDWA’s continual opposition whenever the government of the day looks to bring in dog related legislation that ultimately affects both dog wardens and dog owners and it believes such legislation to be flawed or badly thought out, shows that as an
association it is prepared to put its head above the parapet.
By standing up and being counted as an organisation opposed to the latest poorly thought out piece of legislation this sets NDWA aside and this may be one of the reasons that it is ignored by DEFRA and its advisors?
Author DetailsNeil Burton is a dog warden and chairman of the National Dog Warden Association. - See this author's webpage
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Tuesday, April 15th, 2008 at 12:31 pm and is filed under Canine Columns, Social Issues. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
You would think that the civil servants who prepare laws for the government would at least speak to dog wardens about how they would think something would work if they brought it in!
I wonder why they do ignore the dog warden assoc?
Well said, both Neil and Cuthbert.
As Vice Chairman of the NDWA I would like to echo their comments. Responses to our views often take the view that we are being constantly negative to whatever is proposed. The answer simply is no, we are trying to put forward collectively, hundreds of years of experience from a nationwide perspective. As Neil rightly states, our views are apolitical and based purely on our roles and knowledge. The age of the simple ‘dog catcher’ (Knocknobbler) passed years ago and we pride ourselves on our knowledge experience and enthusiasm. We will keep on trying for ourselves, dogs and dog owners generally.