By Marcus Uhe
Dog lovers will now be able to bring a four-legged plus one to the Akoonah Park markets.
A proposal to allow owners to bring their dogs to the market was put to the Akoonah Park of management recently, which unanimously agreed to the idea.
Manager of Akoonah Park Gayle Joyce said the decision was influenced by a proliferation of dog owners following the pandemic.
“After Covid-19 a lot of people got themselves a dog and we’ve seen huge increase in people walking their dogs at Akoonah Park,” Ms Joyce said.
“When (the market) started there were no council regulations in place. Owners weren’t held accountable for their dogs’ business, which was a hygiene problem.
“Now we feel that with council regulations, where you must carry a bag and pick it the business up and dispose of it, and have the dog on a lead, we now feel the public are sufficiently educated to know how to manage their dog.
“More people are wanting to share their life with their dogs and the Sunday market is a lovely day out for them, and a great way to share it with your best friend.”
Dogs must remain on a leash, be under effective control and owners must carry waste bags and pick-up after their dogs.
The Akoonah Park Market is held every Sunday.
