wightdogs.com ISLE of WIGHT DOGS and OWNERS

Now that the summer season beach bans are once again in force the responsible majority who abide by the rules have to suffer the frustrations of seeing the minority who have no intention of doing so totally ignoring the dog beach bans.

So it was when the other day as I was walking Musty back from the dog beach along the esplanade between Appley tower and the Ryde inshore rescue that I watched as a jogger with a small dog just run along the restricted beach without a thought for the dog ban. As I reached the inshore rescue I put Musty on his lead and continued along North Walk towards the Wimpy only to see the same jogger heading back towards me this time with her dog running along the pavement off the lead. As she passed I said could you put your dog on a lead please and pointed to a sign on a nearby post stating that was the requirement. I was told "I have lived in Ryde all my life" to which I replied "well you don't appear to have got a grasp of either the dog beach bans or the Road Traffic Act in what, judging by you appearance, must be a considerably long time."  I was then treated to the usual stock response of "get a life". This phrase is generally reserved for use against any person who dares to confront an individual who considers they have a god given right to flout all of the rules and regulations which apply to everyone else simply because they would be inconvenienced by complying themselves. At this stage the other dog, still running free, had approached Musty who has the not uncommon nature of being aggressive towards other dogs whilst he is on a lead. I was then told that my dog is aggressive and as her dog isn't there is no need for him to be on a lead. So despite my dog being under my control, on a lead in a place where that is a requirement of the law and being approached by a dog running out of control, in such circumstances this individual considered it to be me that was at fault.

A few days later I saw this individual once again walking down from the the Appley car park with the dog and what I assume was her small grand child in tow, but despite being in charge of the child she certainly didn't let that hinder her in directing a torrent of abuse in my direction, a real class act. I left her to it little doubt heading straight for the restricted beach which the rest of us keep off mainly because small children play in the sand.