As the UK moves into the more favourable conditions of spring and summer, keen anglers take advantage of the warm weather and head to the beach to fish.
This uptick in fishing, however, can be a nightmare for dog owners. They often must combat with the nightmarish ordeal of their beloved dog being pierced by discarded fishing hooks and other angling litter. According to Vets Now, hundreds of dogs are injured by fishing hooks every year. Alongside shiny lures attracting naturally inquisitive dogs, bait is often left on the hook, a difficult thing for a dog to resist.
Emily Appleby’s 3-month-old puppy was on her first outing to Eastbourne beach, by the end of the day she was forced to have surgery to remove a fishhook embedded in her stomach. Emily spoke about how ‘distraught and panicked’ she was at the time.
On the subject of litter on the beach, Emily said: “I often go out swimming, and I always come back with some sort of rubbish, it does make me angry”.
However, Emily admits that the problem does not usually lie with reckless anglers.
Speaking to fishermen, they believe the more likely cause for fishing litter turning up on the beach is largely due to fishing lines being snagged while at sea. The anglers are obviously unable to retrieve them, and they soon wash back to shore with the tide, nestling in the pebbles.
No matter if you are a dog walker or an angler, these stories affect everyone.
