I would just like to add that this is the very reason why my husband and I do not walk our dogs through the Green Belt anymore as we have also had many problems with owners who allow their untrained dogs to run around freely without any ability to control them.   We have no problem with dogs not on leads as long as they are trained, in fact one of our three dogs walks without a lead as she is extremely well trained and easy to call back and does not run more than ten metres away from us either.   Our dogs have been harassed by these off-the-lead-untrained dogs one too many times and the owners seem to not care about causing other dog-walkers or pedestrians any aggravation.  

On our last walk there was a man who opened his gate and let his dogs run completely wild and they would not stop harassing our dogs while the man sat on his chair and thought it was all very funny while we struggled.

Surely the birdlife in this area must be at risk from these dogs too?

As I said, we no longer go for walks with or without our dogs through the Green Belt due to this type of selfish behaviour by a handful of people.

My husband and I frequently jog and walk through the Green belt. 

My husband has just come back from a jog, and yet experienced another horrible incident.  This would be our 2nd incident in which dog owners allow their dogs to wander off from them and roam freely in the Green Belt.  Basically my husband saw a couple walking with their 2 bull terriers and another seperate lady walking with her very young daughter and her 2 bull terriers.  The dogs off the leads ran straight to the lady with the dogs on the lead and her daughter and the dogs started to "scuffle". 

On Sunday a lady was walking her 2 dogs in the green belt and her little dog got pulled through the palisade fence by 2 very large and vicious dobermanns.  This poor lady was completely traumatised, and luckily we were able to help her, along with 2 other residents. I cannot imagine how the little dog must be.

So as a resident who likes to walk and enjoy the area, I am now petrified to walk not because of vagrants or potential criminals but fear the vicious dogs and dog owners that carelessly walk their dogs without leads.  I often walk with my little girl who is 9 months old and push her in a pram, I am seriously nervous  because of these dogs that are left free to run, or that are not trained to return to their owners.  I also walk in the road and note that dog owners do not supervise or watch their dogs and ensure they do not attack innocent walkers like myself.  Home owners should not leave gates open when they have dogs that could potentially attack innocent walkers by, and it is also dangerous for the dogs to be left in the street as they could be run over.

I urge Dog owners to keep a tighter reign on their dogs, or to be more vigiliant and aware of their surrounds and to be more away of fellow dog walkers, or joggers, or mothers that are pushing prams. 

I actually carry pepper spray for the dogs and not for the criminals.