Costly Dog Playground Criticised

Fri, 30 Jul 2010

Britain’s first pet adventure playground has opened in East Hertfordshire, at a total cost of £15,000. East Hertfordshire council shouldered the cost of the dog playground, £7,000 of which was accounted for by equipment, while the cost of installation and officers’ time more than doubled this expense.

The timing of the playground’s launch happily coincided with the release of PDSA figures forecasting a significant rise in obesity levels among dogs in the UK, Cllr Linda Haysey lauded the playground as a success. Cllr Haysey said she had already seen dogs of all shapes and sizes enjoy the facility, from small spaniels to big Bernese mountain dogs. Cllr Haysey also claimed the playground – which boasts a range of features including a paw-shaped hoop, a ramp, hurdles and tunnels – will help animal owners to give their pets the exercise they need.

The 30ft square area is in Southern Country Park in Bishop’s Stortford, and has unsurprisingly attracted considerable criticism. Emma Boon from the TaxPayers’ Alliance described the local council as ‘barking mad’, and insisted pet owners can exercise their animals without needing a dog adventure playground.

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