Animal lovers have launched a campaign to overturn a ban on walking more than two dogs at once.The by-law, introduced by Kensington and Chelsea council in January, also stipulates that in certain areas, including public footpaths and some grassed squares, dogs must be kept on leads no more than 4ft long.
Anyone breaking the dog control order can be issued with an £80 on-the-spot fine and the Tory-run council has ordered its enforcement officers to seek out repeat offenders. Today, residents of the borough joined professional dog-walkers to fight the rules, which have been labelled "draconian".
Actress Felicity Kendal, who has been a dog owner for years, said: "This kind of absurd legislation affects the way we live. "To live in a society where the number of pets a person can have is controlled by the council, and where people patrol the streets treating animals like motor cars, is a clear example of the nanny state going too far."
Resident Tara Hewitt, 37, is the latest dog walker to receive a fixed penalty notice after being caught looking after four small dogs while waiting for a friend to come and help walk them. She accused the council of using "scaremongering" tactics after she was warned by three enforcement officers not to fight the fine in court.
"I had no idea about the law but they still gave me a ticket," she said. "They suggested that if I tried to take it to court I wouldn't have a leg to stand on and I would end up with a bigger fine - up to £1,000."
Sir Malcolm Rifkind, the Conservative MP for Kensington and Chelsea, said he had received more letters on the issue than any other since he took office. "I think the council has bitten off more than it can chew and is beginning to realise the strength of feeling about this," he said.
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