New Forest visitors face fines up to £1,000 for petting and feeding ponies

Visitors to the New Forest could face fines up to £1,000 for petting and feeding ponies as part of new measures to reduce anti-social behaviour.

New Forest District Council has approved the measures in the Hampshire beauty spot, which also include a ban on petting other animals living in the national park and on setting up camp fires and barbecues.

The petting rules are out of concern for the well-being of animals and to prevent them from becoming aggressive.

The Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) will come into force from 1 July and breaching the orders could lead to a fixed-penalty notice of £100, or a criminal prosecution with a maximum fine of £1,000.

One member of the public who responded to a survey on the proposals wrote: “Ponies and donkeys that have been fed by members of the public (are) becoming more aggressive in seeking food from people because they become conditioned to expect feeding.”

On the risk of fires in the forest, another wrote: “I am extremely concerned about the likelihood of a heath fire causing terrible damage and danger to animals including the wildlife.

“With ancient woodland no longer cleared, the forest floor is strewn with timber that would effectively act like a bonfire and might prove very difficult to extinguish. The effects would be devastating to the ecology of the area.”

A spokesman for the local authority said it is hoped the new PSPOs will see “a reduction in anti-social behaviour associated with wildfires and barbecues on the forest and the feeding and petting of Forest animals”.

He said all of these activities are “detrimental to the local community”, adding that “formal enforcement will be used proportionately, and there will be information issued about these new restrictions and clear signage will be in place.”

The crackdown on setting up camp fires and barbecues comes after fire services across the UK highlighted the dangers of disposable barbecues being used in public parks and open spaces last summer. They warned barbecues were leading to grass and open land fires during the heatwave.