Could the city of Greyfriars Bobby ban dogs from graveyards?

As anyone familiar with the story of Greyfriars Bobby will know, Edinburgh has a long tradition of dogs visiting graveyards.

The story of the faithful terrier which kept returning to its master’s grave for 14 years after his death became known across the world.

But now councillors in Edinburgh are being asked to decide whether dogs should be banned from the city’s cemeteries.

Bereaved relatives started a petition calling for a ban following complaints that tributes on graves were being damaged and that owners were not cleaning up after their pets.

The campaign has in turn sparked a counter-petition from dog walkers who are opposed to the move.

There had previously been a ban on dogs entering Edinburgh’s 43 burial grounds, but this was lifted during the Covid lockdown.

Since then the council has introduced some new rules. Signs in the cemeteries say dogs should always be kept on a lead and that owners must clean up after their pet.

Efforts to reintroduce the ban have been led by Paul Irvine, whose three-year-old son Xander died after being struck by a car in 2020.

He has said that dog owners have repeatedly allowed their pets to disturb his son’s grave in Morningside Cemetery and have even ripped the heads off soft toys which had been left as tributes.

Linda Kerr-Peden is one of those who has been campaigning for the ban. She says the current rules are not being monitored at Warriston Cemetery.

“There are people who want to visit their relatives’ graves, but don’t feel comfortable with stranger’s dogs wandering over to them,” she said.

“The dogs take the flowers and toys from the gravestones. Not all the owners pick up after their pets.

“Some relatives have stopped coming to the cemetery because they’re tired of having to clean up the graves.”

She said the council had put up plenty of signs – but that there was no enforcement if people broke the rules.

“I’ve called the police. They tell me to call the council. I call the council and they say they don’t have the staff to patrol the graveyards,” she added.

“The dogs should never have been allowed in to cemeteries in the first place.”

A counter petition was launched by those who felt it would be disproportionate to ban all dogs.

They say the majority of owners are not breaking the rules.

They also argue that some cemeteries had previously become no go areas during the day due to alcohol and drug abuse. Now the presence of dogs and their owners was making them safe spaces again.

Tracy Williams says she has walked her dog in the city’s cemeteries for years. She is fighting against a ban and has signed the counter-petition.

The mental health advocate said: “The research is clear that dogs as family pets are good for mental health. It decreases anxiety and helps with depression and trauma. It’s just a wonderful resource for people.”

She added that graveyards were quiet spaces, which were really difficult to find in Edinburgh.

The council is keen to point out that Edinburgh has 144 parks where people could walk their dogs.

However, they can be busy places – and that’s exactly the type of environment some dogs and their owners are trying to avoid.

Dog walker Claire Rafferty says: “A lot of people have dogs that are not so sociable and want a quiet place rather than a park full of dogs that are off lead coming up to a dog that is uncertain and nervous. It’s never a good experience for either party.

“So coming to somewhere like this, it’s quiet, you’re not interrupted by that presence of wondering if there’s a dog going to approach which is not welcome.”

The issue will be considered by councillors at a meeting on Thursday.

In a report, council officials say there is “insufficient evidence” for tightening the rules and banning dogs from cemeteries.

Councillors have told the BBC they are open-minded on the issue and that the recommendations have to be balanced against the strength of feeling in the community.

Councillor Val Walker heads up the culture and community committee, which will have to take the decision.

“What we would do is ask the dog walkers to think about the people who are going to visit and mourn at the graves of their friends and their relatives and should have peace in order to do that.

“A cemetery should be a dignified place of reflection and we’re asking dog walkers to honour that.

“We’ve tried to find a middle way of saying you can walk your dog here but please keep your dog under control.”

If dogs did get banned from the city’s cemeteries, they would be particularly missed in the Greyfriars Kirkyard.

Calum Ferguson is a tour guide there, who brings his terrier Rowie with him to give an authentic Greyfriars Bobby experience.

He said it would be “very disappointing” if his pet was no longer able to visit the spot where Greyfriars Bobby was said to have spent all his life.

“Rowie is the biggest selling point of our tour to be honest,” he added.

“People don’t book the tour for me, they book the tour to spend time with a dog, because a lot of our travellers come from overseas and they might have left their dogs while they’re travelling for months.

“So it would be very disappointing not to bring Rowie on our tour.”