At the Club Executive meeting on Tuesday, 12 November there were further reports of dog fouling on the pitches and the decision was taken, to protect the health of all players, to ban all dogs (except support dogs) from the 1st December.
The Club Executive would have liked to continue the policy of allowing visitors to the club to bring dogs on Saturdays so long as they are controlled, preferably on a lead, and rigorously cleaned-up after. However, some owners have not been as diligent so the decision had to be taken. The Club Executive recognises this will be disappointing to those owners that have always acted responsibly with their dogs, keeping them on a lead and picking up after them.
Dog faeces can transmit diseases like salmonella, campylobacter, roundworms and hookworms. This is a greater risk to children, who are much less likely to wash their hands after playing in the grass. The eggs of roundworms, for example, pass in the faeces of dogs and can survive in the soil for many years – regardless of weather extremes.
If the eggs are accidentally ingested, the worms can cause serious neurological, pulmonary and vision problems in the body. Ocular toxocariasis, although rare, most often affects young children and can cause serious ophthalmologic disease, including blindness.