Dog owners have hit back at a call to ban their pets from a cemetery where Paddington creator Michael Bond is buried.
A petition on change.org has called for the animals to be banned from Paddington Old Cemetery, in Willesden Lane, Kilburn, claiming dogs running off the lead "urinate and defecate" over graves.
Brent Council says owners who allow their pets to foul there could be fined up to £1,000 and has asked the public for their views on a new rule ordering owners to keep their pets on leads.
But dog walkers argue the "majority" are respectful of the space and that most of the waste is from wild foxes.
Cordelia Uys, of Queen's Park, has launched a petition on Brent Council's website calling for it to protect dogs exercise off-lead in the cemetery.
She said walking dogs on the lead would not provide them with sufficient exercise and having dogs off-lead kept the cemetery safe by discouraging antisocial behaviour, such as drug use.
She is a member of Dogs of Paddington Old Cemetery, a group of more than 100 dog owners, and said it was working on an enhanced code of conduct and that members were "deeply appreciative of having such a gem on our doorstep".
"We recognise that mourners should be treated with courtesy, respect and consideration," she said.
Christine Maggs regularly visits her grandparents' and great grandparents' graves with her dog Ada.
Her great grandfather Dr Edward Wright was a Maida Vale police surgeon who was made an OBE after rescuing seven people from a bombed house in 1918.
"The cemetery is an important place for her, where she became socialized to puppies and people," she said.
Friends of Paddington Old Cemetery chair Andrew Lowe said the group had tried to engage with Brent Council but was largely "ignored".
He said the historic cemetery and green space sat within a "tight urban area".
He criticised the council's consultation as "far from fair", citing "leading" questions and failure to look at issues such as car use.
He added: "The council are attempting to polarize the community into two sides - dog walkers and grave owners, I am neither and I feel that this discourse is extremely unhelpful."
To take part in Brent Council's consultation, visit https://haveyoursay.brent.gov.uk/en-GB/projects/dogs-in-paddington-old-cermetery-consultation.
Cllr Harbi Farah, cabinet member for public safety and partnerships, said: “This detailed and balanced consultation seeks to gather everyone's views through a series of questions, and we welcome all perspectives.
“The consultation was launched in response to a growing number of complaints about dog behaviour in the cemetery, including dogs urinating and defecating on graves, being out of control near mourners, and incidents of dog attacks - behaviour that is completely unacceptable in a place of remembrance.
“This consultation will be key to determining the future requirements of the Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) in place at the cemetery and we encourage all visitors to Paddington Old Cemetery to have their say. The consultation is open now and runs until Tuesday, December 10.”
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