Royal Ascot

Pets in Royal Ascot

Many people in Royal Ascot love animals and would like to have pets. Owning pets places a responsibility on owners and they must make sure that they will be able to meet these responsibilities.

Pets can be a great nuisance to other residents, and it is important to consider the type of pet and breed that you want to keep to minimize the nuisance factor. While only Sandown Crescent has a strict "no pet" rule, in many other precincts you must obtain written permission from the Trustees to keep a pet.

Here are some information about problems caused by dogs and cats in Royal Ascot:

» Dogs

» Cats

Register your Dogs and Cats

In terms of the City's Animal By-Law 2010 all dogs and cats must be registered. The By-Law places a limit on the number of pets that may be kept depending on the size of the dwelling or property. There is no charge for registration.

» Download the City's information sheet.

» Click here to register online.

or email lawenforcement@capetown.gov.za for more information.

Dogs

Dogs have been human’s companions for thousands of years, they probably originally assisted hunting parties rounding up game and other prey. Dogs developed their association with humans in the natural environment, and although they have adapted well to live with humans in the urban environment, they still have specific needs and instincts of which their owners must be aware.

These needs are basically that dogs need exercise as well as mental and sensory stimulation. The best way of providing this is by regularly walking them outside the confines of their backyard. Unfortunately not all dogs are obedient and well-behaved, and the authorities have had to introduce controlling measures so that unruly dogs do not disturb, inconvenience or harm other people.

Municipal regulations require that dogs must be on leash in any public open space at all times – and that means all streets, parks, play areas and beaches – in fact any place outside the boundaries of your own property. Municipal regulations also state that people must clean up after their dogs, poopscooping is thus required by law – the easiest way is to carry a plastic bag or two with you, turn it inside out to pick up the faeces once the dog has done its business, and put it in your trash bin at home. (Did you know that if your dog is prone to dig up your garden, you can stop this by burying the dog’s own faeces in places where it loves to dig).

Dogs’ running around unleashed is a problem in Royal Ascot – if your dog is well-behaved and walks to heel, you might think it not necessary to leash the dog. Unfortunately other dog owners with unruly dogs will then also feel that it is not necessary to leash their dogs. So please leash your dog when taking it out for a walk.

The biggest problem with dogs in Royal Ascot is the mess they leave behind. This is not the dog’s fault, the owner is to blame for not removing faeces. This is getting so bad in many areas that parents are now prohibiting their children from using some of the play parks for health reasons – there is just too much dog faeces spread around. The pavements and public areas is a minefield, yet some dog owners do not seem to realize (or care) how much they inconvenience other people.

The problem is that if people do not obey the regulations and these problems persist, more stringent measures to control dogs may have to be introduced – and this means that the majority of dog owners who obey the regulations will also suffer. There have already been suggestions that dogs be banned from some public areas in Royal Ascot.

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Cats

Cats are highly independent creatures and have long been regarded as being less troublesome than dogs to keep - after all you do not have to walk them or scoop up after them.

However, in recent years many people have realized that domestic cats can be a far greater threat to our local environment than any other animal. The main problem is that cats can look after themselves in an urban environment and can become feral (go wild) very easily - these feral cats live off rats and mice, but also off wild birds and small animals in gardens, parks and other open areas. In many cities around the world bird populations have been decreasing alarmingly due to predation by cats.

It is not only feral cats that can be the problem. Many cat owners probably do not realize how much their cat wanders around catching birds and other small animals. Just the presence of a cat in a garden keeps birds away.

Responsible cat owners hopefully care enough about their cats not to let them wander around, but there are already stray cats in Royal Ascot and many of these are a cause for concern. In the Milnerton Conservation Area cats are freely entering and catching birds and other small animals - the Environmental Management Committee is rightfully concerned about the negative effects of this.

Cat owners should be aware of what their cats are doing, do not keep breeds of cats that tend to wander around. Unfortunately we have already had several incidences of cats being killed on the roads of Royal Ascot, and cats wandering in the conservation area will have to be trapped and removed by the SPCA.

Cat owners must also appreciate the fact that there are residents in the precincts who prefer to have birds in their gardens and that wandering cats are a nuisance to other people.

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