A Waterford Mother has raised her concerns of seeing dog's being left off leashes in the heatwave at beaches.
The Mother of two Gabrielle Cummins was with her husband and two children aged 3 and 7 on the beach in Dunmore on Thursday when they were bounded by a large Golden retriever.
Gabrielle who was spending the day celebrating her husbands birthday decided to head to the beach in Dunmore after attending dinner with her children.
Speaking to Eamon the Mother who has a fear of dogs said that she had no issue with the dog.
"It was a gorgeous looking dog, beautiful animal, don't have an issue with that, it was just that he was large and the kids aren't particularly great with animals anyway."
She believes that families should be allowed to go down to the beach without being concerned that they may be approached by an unattended dog.
"It was quite traumatic for them, it took us quite some time, it was 7 pm in the evening and it took us quite some time to calm them down again. "
According to Waterford City and County Council bylaws enacted in 2015:
"A person in charge of a dog shall not bring the dog into, or allow to enter or remain in any place specified in the Third Schedule [Woodstown, Bunmahon, Clonea, Ardmore, Dunmore East beaches/ strands]. to these bylaws between the hours of 11 am and 7.00pm during the Bathing Season."
The Control Dog Regulation 1998 applies that the person in charge of the dog "shall keep the dog on a sufficiently strong chain or leash, not extending two metres in length if fixed or ten meters if retractable."
Listen to Eamon's interview with Gabrielle below.
https://soundcloud.com/wlrfmwaterford/waterford-mums-nightmare-with-her-children-when-a-dog-was-left-off-leash
