Could the city of Greyfriars Bobby ban dogs from graveyards?

There had previously been a ban on dogs entering Edinburgh’s 43 burial grounds, but this was lifted during the Covid lockdown.

Since then the council has introduced some new rules. Signs in the cemeteries say dogs should always be kept on a lead and that owners must clean up after their pet.

Efforts to reintroduce the ban have been led by Paul Irvine, whose three-year-old son Xander died after being struck by a car in 2020.

He has said that dog owners have repeatedly allowed their pets to disturb his son’s grave in Morningside Cemetery and have even ripped the heads off soft toys which had been left as tributes.

Linda Kerr-Peden is one of those who has been campaigning for the ban. She says the current rules are not being monitored at Warriston Cemetery.

“There are people who want to visit their relatives’ graves, but don’t feel comfortable with stranger’s dogs wandering over to them,” she said.

“The dogs take the flowers and toys from the gravestones. Not all the owners pick up after their pets.

“Some relatives have stopped coming to the cemetery because they’re tired of having to clean up the graves.”