One man and his dog – Fenton the YouTube sensation
1st February 2012
When a video of a man chasing his dog was unleashed on the internet at the end of last year, Fenton (the dog) became an overnight star.
People around the world marvelled at the pure helplessness of it all: a man desperately chasing his dog as it chases a herd of deer.
Pretty much everyone who saw this video was rolling around in laughter, not least because of the incredibly British accent of the dog’s owner.
The video starring Fenton the dog and his hapless owner has now been watched almost five million times on YouTube.
While everyone enjoyed the funny side of the video, it did raise some important points about animal control when out and about.
The incident took place in Richmond Park in South West London, and shows that any dog owner can lose control of his pet. And once that control has been lost, there can be little you can do about it.
Richmond Borough Council says on its website that owners are allowed to exercise their dog without restriction, but that it should be kept under proper control.
This is for a number of reasons, from dog fouling (which can be harmful if left on the ground) to losing your dog when it runs too far away.
It is important to consider these things when walking your dog, as you could be liable for anything your dog does if you’ve failed to control it.
Natural England, a public body responsible for England’s natural environment, urges dog walkers to err on the side of caution when walking their dog.
It says that while dogs are allowed off the lead on public footpaths, you should not let it off the lead if you can’t rely on its guaranteed obedience.
Dogs should also be kept on their lead if you’re walking near livestock or wildlife, as your dog is likely to be less obedient around other animals.
The case of Fenton the dog was certainly an unusual one, but it highlighted an important issue of animal control.
If you have a dog, think about taking out dog insurance to avoid expensive medical bills.
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