TWO dog owners are threatening to sue the council after their pooch was hit by motorists on a dual-carriageway after walking at a country park.

Steve Glaysher from Parkstone said that his partner, Pete, took their Jack Russell for a walk through Avon Heath Country Park in Ringwood on Sunday, which is owned and managed by Dorset County Council.

The three-year-old dog, which Steve said was a Russian parson terrier, saw a squirrel and chased after it, however Steve said that there was no fencing to prevent the dog from running onto the A31 Ringwood Road, where Harry was killed.

He added: "My partner took our darling Harry out for a walk there on the afternoon on Sunday, as I was ill at home.

"As Avon Heath is a large nature reserve and as there are no signs warning to keep dogs on leads, he took Harry off the lead so he could have a good run, and Harry loves chasing things so he was after a squirrel.

"Due to there being no fencing and it being the dual-carriageway, he was hit by a car going much faster than the allowed speed and he was killed instantly."

Steve said that Pete called after their dog but was told by a passing couple that he had been killed on the road.

"We are so angry if the council had put signs warning dog owners and fencing then this wouldn't have happened.

"We strongly believe that this is their fault and not only do we want them to provide fencing and signage as I suspect other deaths have occurred there. We are going to see a solicitor to seek financial compensation.

"We won't accept any lame excuse about no budget to provide fencing etc as this is a public park which is supposed to be safe for dog walkers."

Steve Davies, Avon Heath Greenspace Team Leader, said: “We sympathise with the owner over the loss of his dog Harry.

"We do not have a blanket policy of keeping dogs on leads as many of our 300,000 visitors a year are dog walkers.

"However, we do ask on our website and on signs around the park for dog owners to adhere to the Dorset Dogs code of practise.

"The fencing around Avon Heath country park is stock fencing to ensure cattle grazing on the land are kept safe."