The Rossmere Park Island has the only breeding colony of Egrets in the whole county. If these birds move on because of the disturbance on the Island they will not come back. Not only do these trees add to the character of the park, they form a vital part of the local ecology for the Park’s large Bat colony.

This netting is putting all kinds of wild birds at risk and is breaching the animal welfare act 2006 as these birds are dying a slow agonising death without having access to food or water while they are trapped. It is also horrible for town residents and tourists to see dead birds

Since closure in February 2016, the former Whitekirk Golf Course has become a haven for wildlife and a wonderful, well used amenity space for local communities. This unique and beautiful landscape is recognised in the East Lothian Local Development Plan 2018 as a Special Landscape Area, and provides valuable open space for people and wildlife in an area dominated by intensive farming and increasing development. Wilkie Developments plans to destroy this fantastic landscape by turning it into a holiday camp. With over 200 proposed holiday lodges crammed on to the former fairways, the beautiful landscape and its wildlife will be lost to development forever. The area is enjoyed by a wide variety of flora and fauna including species such as skylarks, badgers, bats, owls, buzzards and swans, as well as a variety of wildflowers, trees and mosses. The Local Development Plan states that development should only be permitted in Special Landscape Areas where "the public benefits of the development clearly outweigh any adverse impact and the development is designed, sited and landscaped to minimise such adverse impacts." The economic benefits of the development will no doubt be argued as a reason to override this protection, however it is clear that self-catering holiday lodges will generate only a very few low-skilled, low-paid jobs, and with poor public transport local people will surely struggle to sustain employment. Over two hundred holiday lodges will generate hundreds of car trips per day to and from North Berwick. With only one bus every two hours from the site into North Berwick, all those cars will be clogging up the roads and competing for the already over-full car parks in the town. The development will require significant infrastructure in order to support the 200 plus lodges, introducing light pollution, sewage treatment and a network of utilities. Once all this costly infrastructure is in place what’s to stop Wilkie Developments, housebuilders by trade, seeking to turn this into yet another housing development. Please help to protect this rare and special landscape by signing the petition to prevent development and secure its future as a valuable wildlife habitat and amenity for the local communities. As a protected wildlife reserve, this wonderful space should be enjoyed by local people and also presents a fantastic opportunity to create an educational facility for local schools.

There are so many backstreet breeders out there, and people who should never own animal, this needs to change. Any breeder should have a licence, paid for by themselves, at a cost of around £1000. The revenue from this could then go half, to the government and the other half to animal rescue centres. The breeder should also be registered with the Inland Revenue. Both the licence number and their Inland Revenue number should be on any microchip. This could then help to stamp out unscrupulous breeding. It is also too easy to own an animal and measures should be in place, to prevent persons not capable of providing the right home with the right resources in place, from owning an animal. Anyone found guilty of animal abuse, should never be able to own an animal again. We are, as a country, at crisis level now. So many unwanted animals in shelters, this also needs addressing. We also need to teach animal husbandry in primary years at school, as empathy and compassion for animals, is dwindling fast. We need to remember, it's not a right to have an animal it's a privilege.

The Grey long eared, Lesser and Greater Horseshoe bats are nationally scarce species that need protecting. if anything, the barn should be preserved for what could be a site of importance. There are only an estimated 1000 Grey long eared left in Britain, and studies suggest numbers are still falling. if this development is granted planning permission, the whole surrounding area will be affected. currently there is a healthy food source directly next to the barn, which would be removed to make way for the new building. and a very active Badger sett would have to be relocated. these are the primary concerns.

The Flashes are a very unusual phenomenon. The water comes & goes. In winter there are several lakes full of water & in summer they can almost dry up. Usually the main Flash always has water. The biodiversity of the area attracts all kinds of bird & wildlife. Many of them are endangered & on red or orange lists which are promoted as in need of protection & conservation. Some of them breed on the Flashes, some of them overwinter as part of migration. The joy of this area is that it is available to all & is used by many bird watchers & photographers as well as walkers. Someone who can't walk can sit in a car at one side & watch bird activity. A novice bird watcher, like myself, can quickly pick up knowledge & interest by watching each day as different birds come & go. One day a flock of lapwings, another day there might be oyster catchers, sandpipers, herons, god-wits, shelducks...the list goes on. There is other precious wildlife in the area too, notably the great crested newt, a protected species, but this petition is concentrating on the birds & the role of the RSPB in supporting the plans for destruction. Why spoil an area which has functioned beautifully for generations, which provides rare & unusual habitat & supports so many kinds of birds? There is no need for 300 wooden chalets & a hotel & car parks in this area. There are plenty of nicer places to stay already. Is it really worth it at the expense of bird life? Craven District Council reference is Planning Application 42/2016/17496 Hellifield Flashes, if you want to read more.

Reports of animal abuse in the UK continue to rise. The RSPCA investigated 141,760 cruelty complaints in 2017, there were only 1,492 convictions by private prosecution. The current maximum custodial sentence for animal abuse is only 6 -months and less than 8% of those convicted of animal abuse serve a custodial sentence, most receive a conditional discharge and/or fine. A quick search online will reveal shocking and abhorrent animal abuse cases in the UK, with lenient sentences on conviction; these sentences do not act as a form of deterrent for persistent offenders. There is also no way to keep a track of these abusers because of the lack of an animal abuse register and therefore with no record of their abuse, they are often free to rehome or purchase more animals, once the terms of any sentence have been discharged. Government minister, Michael Gove’s claim that the proposed new 5- year custodial sentence for animal abusers will be the 'gold standard' in animal welfare is grossly misleading. Because of sentencing guidelines in the UK and the current climate of overcrowding in the privately run prison system, a convicted animal abuser will never serve a 5-year jail term. Most animal abusers will continue to receive a conditional discharge and/or a fine. The proposed 5-year sentence will also mean the UK will still lag far behind many countries including America, where there are much harsher sentences for animal abuse. All other vulnerable groups in society have a legal representative to protect their interests, it can be argued that animals are the most vulnerable of groups, particularly because they cannot speak. And consider this, animal abuse, child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence are often linked, see http://nationallinkcoalition.org/faqs/what-is-the-link. Animal abuse can be the first indicator of the potential for further family violence. If children are exposed to animal abuse, it may desensitise them to all forms of violence and indeed they may become perpetrators of the most heinous crimes. The appointment of an Animal Ombudsperson would be a real step towards a 'gold standard' in animal welfare, benefitting not only animals, but society as a whole. An Animal Ombudsperson would promote and protect the rights of all animals and be independent of politics and governing bodies. The UK claims itself to be a nation of animal lovers, the evidence clearly indicates otherwise, it is now time to give animals the protection they need by appointing an Animal Ombudsperson.

British law as it stands is on the side of the dog owner this petition wishes to change that law and and make it a prisonable offence or uncapped fine enforced by the RSPCA to protect the the health and safety of a dog. currently in this country it is an offence if you break the window of a vehicle to get a dog free from a hot environment this needs to change. and only can change with your support. So please help me get as many signatures as possible to get this petition recognised in law so that moving forward if a dog is in a car and all windows are locked up and the owner is nowhere around you will have the right to break the window retrieved the animal call the RSPCA or the police and have the owner arrested as long as you have photographic evidence or a video supporting your actions

Hello! My name is Zack, and I'm a prospective animation student. I have multiple psychiatric and physical disabilities that make it very difficult for me to live independently - to counter this, I am owner training my own assistance dog. The university were made aware of this, and accommodation have already agreed - but the course leaders have stated that my dog cannot attend classes. If my dog can't come, then neither can I, that's simply the reality of how my conditions affect me. On top of this, if my dog cannot attend then how will he ever learn to be calm in such an environment? I understand that it is a complex and difficult situation, so this survey is for my fellow Animation students who are starting in September 2018 and will theoretically share the classroom with myself and my puppy. By signing, you're saying that you don't have a problem with my puppy (his name is Mochi by the way) being in the classroom, and understand that it may not be perfect but that without him I can't come. I know it sounds silly, but I have been trying to "get better" enough to attend university for nearly 6 years, and I have finally found a viable solution that gets me away from relying on family and carers and gives me more independence.

He had a destruction order placed on him for an isolated incident where he was protecting his home and owners. In his 12 years he has never shown any aggression, he was part of our family for 10 years which including 5 cats and two young children now 3 and 6

The Welsh Government (2015) household survey states that 47% of households have a pet with 62% of those owning a dog, which was by far the most popular animal. This is a very large community that could be negatively impacted by the proposed changes. The Animal Welfare Act supports dogs requirement for exercising off leads for their health and wellbeing. The proposed restrictions disadvantage those with mobility issues, lack of access to transport or financial hardship from accessing green spaces for their dogs needs. The health benefits of dog ownership and walking are well documented which should be incentivized not deterred. One recent study by The University of Lincoln and Glasgow Caledonian University found that dog owners over the age of 65 get an average of 22 more minutes of walking a day than those without one. BUPA (2017) reported dog walkers have: lower stress and depression levels; lower incidence of type 2 diabetes, breast and colon cancer; lower cholesterol and blood pressure; lower body mass index; improved sleeping; and better community connectedness. https://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wq5k0 There is a cost to accessing a lot of recreational activities and dog walking has been accessible for many. According to research by American Express (2016) British dog owners estimate they spend an average of £1,252 annually on their pet, equating to over £10.64bn across the country as a whole. Dog ownership is a boost to the local economy further with their patronage to the ever popular and increasing dog friendly cafes.

Species rich meadows and pastures are scattered across the N Ireland landscape in areas where traditional, low-intensity farming practices have survived. These provide a home for threatened wildlife and are a key part of our natural heritage. Over the past 2 years I have visited over 100 meadow and pasture areas between Coleraine and Maghera. The vast majority of these are in poor condition, no longer suitable for the rare species that depend on them. However, some extremely wildflower-rich places remain, packed full of declining species such as greater and lesser butterfly orchid, meadow thistle, whorled caraway, marsh fritillary butterflies, nesting curlew and the Irish hare. These areas lead a precarious existence: 2 of the best are imminently threatened by development (that could easily be located elsewhere), and many more are being drained, over-fertilised, sprayed with herbicide, grazed inappropriately, and dumped on top of. The same pressures are destroying some of our best wildlife sites before they are even ‘discovered’: a comprehensive survey of our meadows and pastures has never been undertaken. The first step towards securing their future is to protect the best ones that remain. This falls under the remit of the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (a body within the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs), which has the power to designate our most important wildlife sites as Areas of Special Scientific Interest. However, in recent years the number of new protected areas created has fallen dramatically, as targets for declaring new sites have been dropped. This is despite a huge backlog of threatened areas waiting to be assessed for protection. Whilst this places all kinds of natural habitats at risk, meadows and pastures are amongst the most seriously impacted: unless a site is protected it is very difficult for farmers to get financial support so that they can continue farming in a way that is beneficial to wildlife.