Dogs on Walks - "Bring your dog"

The national ramblers web site is very positive about dogs on ramblers walks. In the group walks section it says

" Bring your dog

We know that many people enjoy walking with their four-legged friends, so we encourage all our walking groups to allow dogs on walks. Registered Assistance Dogs are allowed on any walk."

It is disappointing to see that Brighton and Hove Ramblers is further discouraging dogs and their humans from walking with the group by increasing the work on walk leaders. This is by asking the leader to choose to allow dogs on walks and then to communicate with each dog owner (see newsletter). Already many B&H walks are not dog friendly and we haven't been able to attend many walks over the last year. This is despite them being on routes and to pubs which are suitable for dogs. 

So I'd ask the committee and members to reconsider the approach to dogs and follow national ramblers policy to allow dogs on walks. This should be the default rather than it currently is the exception. There are very few areas which are not suitable for dogs (walks with routes near livestock can be included by having dogs on a lead through sheep fields etc). A quarter of households in the UK own a dog - that's a lot of potential members to exclude