The local rag and Facebook are carrying stories of a heavy handed private company stalking the streets of Holmfirth on behalf of Kirklees and issuing fines to those who don’t have Rover on a lead or anyone with a dog lead over 2 metres long. Out on the public footpath network other dog owners go unpoliced placing signs on public footpaths in an apparent effort to deter legitimate access and warning of dogs “running free,” not on private property but the public highway.
A few yards beyond the gate above I heard a bleep and realised I’d set off some kind of warning alarm in the house this footpath passes. Fair enough wanting to know who’s about in such an out of the way place I suppose but a little further on as I neared the house a door clicked open and out ran two dogs barking and growling in the way they do when they’re revved up.
They weren’t on leads. They weren’t even with anybody who could hold the other end and they came charging full pelt towards me. Oh dear.
I was in no man’s land. To far from both the gate behind and the one in front. But I had my dog (on a lead) so spun around and shoved him between me and them ! This made my two pursers hesitate and back off enough for me to reach the exit gate by walking backwards on one side of a weird dog sandwich.
But who let the dogs out?
Path Watch 