Professional dog walkers are biting back at new regulations that force them to pay £300 to walk in Richmond and Bushy Parks.

The licensing system was introduced by Royal Parks this month and requires commercial dog walkers to pay for a permit and agree to a code of conduct, which includes a four dog limit per walker.

A £300 licence covers one dog walker for all the Royal Parks, including Richmond Park and Bushy Park, and professionals caught without one could face a fine or ban.

Park managers said the rules were brought in after complaints and professional dog walkers welcomed regulation of the industry but criticised Royal Parks for their lack of consultation.

Sophie Tantum has run City Tails for just over a year and said she noticed other parks, such as Marble Hill, were busier because dog walkers who could not afford the licence were forced to go elsewhere.

She said the licence was too expensive, would stop her expanding her business and she questioned how Royal Parks would spend the extra income.

She said: “There’s a knock-on effect on our prices which is detrimental to people in Richmond and to other parks.

"In theory I agree with the whole licensing. But they have brought it in very quickly with absolutely no consultation.”

The Association of Professional Dog Walkers (APDW) works with Richmond Council to provide a voice for dog walkers and self regulation of the industry.

APDW set up a petition that calls on Royal Parks to change the limit to six dogs a walker, in a bid to reduce the impact of the reforms, the cost of which the group warned would be passed to owners and harm dogs.

APDW chairman Lucy Bonnett said: “We understand Royal Parks have a problem and people walk 12-plus dogs and we are absolutely against that. But we would like Royal Parks to have a conversation with us.

“The thing we would like to get across is that there are professional people in this industry. There is obviously bad in every industry and these people need to be dealt with but not to the detriment of others.

“Our concern is not about our own pockets but the welfare of our dogs. That’s the point that everyone is missing.”

Linda Lennon, chief executive of Royal Parks, reassured individual dog owners that they could continue to walk their dogs as normal.

She said: “This will regulate the number of dog walking businesses and ensure those who do operate are considerate to other park users and to the diverse range of wildlife in the parks.”

For information on the regulations, visit royalparks.org.uk and to support the petition visit ipetitions.com/petition/royal-parks-set-the-dog-limit-at-six.