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EVERY CLOUD HAS A SILVER LINING |
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Anger over the Forestry Commission’s plans to close New Forest car parks led to a surge of new members for NFDOG. Many of the 56 new recruits and members who renewed at the New Forest Show said they were spurred on by anger at the closure proposals that the FC say will help to protect ground nesting birds. The main theme of display material on the NFDOG stand at the show was public and media response to the closures. Committee members and volunteers manned the stand for all three days, including Press Officer Steve Panton. “I was surprised by how annoyed many people were about the plans after reading our coverage,” he said. “Several pointed out that there have already been dozens of other Forest car park closures, seasonally or permanently, in recent years. The loss of yet more was a further blow to them. “We even had four people joining who did not own a dog. They were determined to support us. They felt that no other user group had publicly opposed the plan, even though it affects not just dog walkers but everyone who makes use of the Forest.” Since the show, another dozen people have joined the ever-growing ranks of NFDOG. Typical of them is Jan Donovan, of Dibden, who said she wanted to add her voice to NFDOG’s opposition to the closures. Jan, who mainly uses the threatened Pig Bush car park, said: “I have entered the Forest for the last eight years near this car park to access Furzy Lodge, Culverley, Hawkhill and the Lady Cross area. I have two well-behaved retrievers and resent the limited access available to me. “I believe regular walks with dogs offer an essential service patrolling the Forest. I have reported many injured deer or ponies over the years.” Meanwhile, the title of “NFDOG Recruiter of the Year” goes to Stanpit, Christchurch, member Sally Sanford who signed up a very big group of new members. “When I heard about the closure plans from NFDOG, I was outraged because there is absolutely no justification” she said. Sally has a Master of Science degree from Southampton University in Companion Animal Behaviour Counselling and has 25 years practical experience of training dogs in obedience, agility and for the field. She said:” I am quite happy to be persuaded by good science, but what has been put forward as evidence to back the proposals is definitely not good science. There is no evidence that it is going to make things significantly better for wildlife.” Sally recruited the new members from Christchurch and Highcliffe Dog Agility Training School at Merryfield Park, Sopley, which she was running until recently. Many there were already members but Sally handed out membership forms to the others and challenged them to think of a good reason for not supporting NFDOG. Thirteen people promptly filled in the forms and are now members. Said Membership Secretary Penny Gayler: “In one of our newsletters, we urged everyone to put a membership form into the hands of a fellow dog owner and stand over them while they filled it in. It is wonderful to see how Sally has done just that.”
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