What never ceases to amaze in Malta, is the capacity to completely ignore something that people have been complaining about for years, then impose draconian laws that go beyond the bizarre.

We are talking about the decision to ban dogs from sandy beaches and swimmers’ zones, but perhaps, more than anything, the assertion that allowing dogs to swim in the sea can cause health problems.

First of all, we must point out that the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and normally take their dogs swimming where there are not many distractions. We must also point out that the vast majority of dog owners do take ‘poo bags’ out with them. There is no firmer evidence of this than the current trend for dogs to carry their own multi-coloured ‘poo bags’ which are tied around their collars.

One cannot disagree with the decision to introduce a bylaw which will stipulate that dogs are kept on leashes. We must accept that people do not like dogs roaming around all over the place in public areas, beaches in particular.

We must also accept the fact that there are some people who abuse of others by allowing their dogs to run around all over the place, dig up the beach and poo and pee everywhere.

But these are the people that the authorities should be after, not those who take their dog for a swim just to cool off for an hour by jumping into the sea.

We carry a story on the front page highlighting the concern of pet owners, who say that the government should encourage interaction and acceptance of pets. Yes, the government should. But we must also not go full tilt to the opposite end of the scale.

Pets are pets and while the newspaper has long been a champion for animal rights, we must point out that there must be some form of regulation. Even in some of the most pet friendly countries in the world, there are restrictions on where dogs can go, and where they can go, there are also laws.

What we are arguing against in this leading article is the draconian approach of the authorities and the local council. Pets should be allowed on the beach, provided that their masters ensure that they are well behaved and not a nuisance to others.

But slapping people with a €4,500 fine is not the way to go about things. The first step that should be taken is identifying the owners of those dogs which are left to roam about for most of the day and foul and scavenge.

It’s not the dog’s fault. They are what they are. It is the fault of unscrupulous owners, and the micro-chipping project should cut down on a lot of problems. Owners will be identified whether their animals are roaming the streets, or dumped, or allowed to breed with strays. A rethink is needed.