hello fellow dog lovers...

we need your help to ‘set the dog limit at 6' in London's Royal Parks!

As of 2 April 2013, London's Royal Parks(inc Bushy Park and Richmond Park) arelicensing professional dog walkers and have decided the maximum number of dogs that can be walked at one time will be 4.

Whilst dog walkers welcome licensing and regulation, the 4-dog limit is too low and it appears it has been set WITHOUT consulting the dog industry.

The 4 dog limit will devastate solo dog walking businesses, who will struggle to pay for increasing fuel, liability insurance, vehicle servicing, repairs & insurance and the cost of this new licence which is £400 a year plus VAT, to use a car park and walk in Royal Parks.

Additionally, many customers would not be able to bear the 30-50% price increase that a 4-dog limit will create,making services unaffordable to average income dog owners who may be forced toleave their dogs home alone for long periods or even rehome their pets!

SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THE LIMIT TO BE RAISED TO 6 DOGS !

Dog walkers would like the following points addressed by Royal Parks:

Professional dog walkers are a vital part of many working families’ lives, allowing them the joy and health benefits of a dog in the family, though they may have to work full time. Professional Dog walkers need to be supported and allowed to earn a living. We cannot earn a living doing the job we love with a 4 dog limit.

It's unacceptable there has been no consultation from the Royal Parkswith professional dog walkers, industry experts, owners and the general public on this unaffordable scheme.

The 6-dog Limit has been a great success in Richmond Borough. Since implementing it last year (after our successful previous petition and help from the Association of Professional Dog Walkers!) not a single complaint has been registered! So why not make The Royal Parks Limit, 6 Dogs?

Professional dog walkers agree that the industry needs to be regulated, but the regulations need to be nationwide, affordable, reasonable and workable for the Professionals, the client but most importantly the welfare of the dogs.

Reducing the number of dogs will increase the number of trips by car to the park,causing more traffic and pollution on the roads.

While we welcome Royal Parks decision to finally regulate and license commercial dog walkers, by refusing to consult with the industry and choosing to set the maximum number of dogs at 4, this will cause many dog walkers income to be cut by up to 30%, forcing dog walkers to increase the cost of dog walking, pricing many dog owners from the market.

The 4-dog limit will impact on dog owners with multiple dogs and/orlow or average incomes. Being forced to pay more for dog walkers, every facet of the dog industry will be affected negatively.

In recessionary Britain, this coalition government professes to be a friend to business, yet this policy will result in job losses and price out dog owners who need to go out to work (to pay taxes) and have to employ the essential services of a professional dog walker to do so.

Please help us get as many signatures as possible so we can persuade London's Royal Parks to hear our concerns! Thank's so much for your support.

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