AN East Renfrewshire entrepreneur has set tails wagging by launching a new venture that gives dog owners a safe space to exercise their four-legged friends.

James Carswell, 24, has set up Off the Lead Dog Park next to the Dams to Darnley Country Park, in Barrhead.

The Neilston man identified the need for a secure, exclusive area where canine lovers can let their dogs run around in a safe environment, without having to worry about them coming into contact with the likes of sheep and cows.

He told the Barrhead News: “My family owns farmland around the Dams to Darnley and we have other bits and bobs elsewhere.

“We’d seen other people doing similar things but the main reason I pushed for this dog park was so that dog owners had somewhere safe and secure to take their pets without farm animals being an issue.

“The Dams to Darnley is a cracking walk to take your dogs on but there is a lot of farming in the area, especially sheep and cows. There can be issues with sheep worrying and farmers having problems, so the thinking behind Off the Lead Dog Park is that people can enjoy the outdoors safely and can take their dog with them.”

People can make a booking online and a code is then sent to their mobile phone which can be keyed into a ‘smart lock’ to gain access to the dog park.

“It has been great so far, it’s been super busy,” said James. “We’ve had some positive reviews from those who have used it.

“We’re trying to cater for all so, if anyone has any suggestions to make the facility more useable, for example a small pen in the park for puppy training and so on, we would definitely welcome that.”

James if offering a discount to Barrhead News readers, who can book a 30-minute slot for £5, instead of the usual £6 fee. To take advantage of this, enter ‘barrhead1’ as your discount code when selecting your time slot.

For more information or to make a booking, visit HERE or go to the ‘Off the Lead Dog Park’ page on Facebook.