Margaret Keen has raised considerations over the park after seeing the gradual unfold of foxtail grass which is rising “wild and has taken over”.
Foxtail grass is a weed-type of grass rising prevalently in the course of the summer season months, and if the seeds connect to a canine’s coat they will embed into the pores and skin, inflicting plenty of considerations together with ache and an infection in addition to extra critical well being considerations.
Margaret mentioned: “The council left some areas to go wild, which I suppose is honest sufficient.
“But the foxtail has taken over, it is developing in all places now, even in what was the primary garden.
“When it is mowed, a machine is used that does not gather the clippings.
“The motive it is spreading a lot is as a result of they’re mowing it and the seeds are spreading to different elements of the park.
“When they mow, the seeds from the foxtail get spread and they’re on the paths as well so even if you’re just walking on the path, the dog isn’t safe.”
But Margaret mentioned that it isn’t simply the foxtail grass she is anxious about, it is also the paths too.
Cator Park has a cycle path, however in response to Margaret, the opposite paths meant for walkers usually are not clearly signposted, making It tough for cyclists to know which paths are meant for his or her use.
Margaret mentioned: “It’s received a cycle path, it is a small park nevertheless it’s received this form of S-shaped cycle path in it.
“But the paths that are not cycle paths are not marked and some of the cyclists treat every path as though it is a cycle path, so cyclist end up using the paths meant for walkers.”
Margret mentioned she has skilled a close to encounter when her canine appeared to have a foxtail seed caught in its face after a canine walk.
Margaret mentioned: “About three weeks again, I discovered a seed in his paw however he’d solely simply received it in.
“I all the time look at him once I come home every single day after our walk there and I managed to tug it out.
“But final week I assumed I’d been feeling this little almost pores and skin tag on his face for a short while.
“It was the tip of the foxtail poking out, which I then needed to tweezer out, and hope I received all of it.
“It is really, really dangerous stuff.”
On a extra recent canine walk, Margaret mentioned that she had encountered one other canine proprietor who’d skilled related points to her.
Margaret defined: “The different day there was one other particular person with their canine as I used to be going into Cator Park, the proprietor was going all by way of its underbelly and its high coat, earlier than she left the park to ensure there wasn’t any in it.
“But you shouldn’t have to do that after walking in a public park.”
Margaret submitted complaints to the council in earlier years voicing her considerations over the cycle paths and extra lately concerning the foxtail grass however has mentioned that the problems are nonetheless ongoing.
A spokesperson for Bromley Council suggested canine walkers to utilize areas the place grass is “regularly cut” and suggested homeowners to test their dogs after leaving the park.
The full assertion mentioned: “There are plenty of locations for canine walkers to train their dogs in Cator Park, together with on the brand new canine agility course and different areas the place the grass is usually minimize, the place seeds is not going to be a difficulty and we’d encourage canine walkers to make use of these areas.
“Foxtail is pretty widespread the place grass is left to develop longer, with the naturalised areas of the park containing longer grasses and associated seeds, together with Foxtail, with seeds being a difficulty for animals who run by way of it.
“Whilst we would not encourage this, it would be advisable to check your pet when leaving the site to check they have not got seed heads attached to them, if they have run through the wild grass areas.”
