Dogs on a lead

[bruno22rf]

Been talking to a few fellow Dog walkers and have been informed that Wardens in a local Park are telling people that all Dogs must be on a lead from now on to protect ground nesting birds-this is a public woodland and no livestock or rare species inhabit it - does anyone know the definitive law? And before you ask, my Spaniels are very well behaved and always off the lead in the Park - they are chipped and wear collars and because of this I let them run free in public places where they cannot do any damage but never on private land unless they are out shooting with me.

[fenboy]

I would assume your council can put any bye laws in place for its public places they feel fit within reason .

[saddler]

Check your local bye-laws.

The council can insist that all dogs in a public area are on a lead at all times.

Makes sense....as you know that YOUR dogs are fine/well behaved; but likewise a scrote who's dog has just bitten another dog/toddler/dogging couple will insist that HIS three legged velocrapta-hund is also normally very well behaved & does a lot of work for charity. ...

Edited February 27, 2016 by saddler

[felly100]

Does the average Springer and a site with ground nesting birds go together?

Probably not v

[fortune]

I don't go into park areas with my spaniel so I haven't had this problem. When I'm off round the fields and orchards the spaniel runs free because she is better behaved off lead. She goes a bit mental on the lead. I think that it is because she has been attached by other dogs twice on the lead.

[robbiep]

As has been said.

Councils - or other statutory bodies - can introduce byelaws restricting when or where you can have your dog off the lead, or even ban dogs entirely from areas.

 

This is most commonly on beach areas, where dogs may be completely prohibited from areas, allowed to be on leads in others, and allowed to be off the lead in other areas again. We were down in Devon/Dorset last week for a few days, and that is the way most authorities work.

I also did some work for a Wildlife Trust a few years back, and in one ground-nesting area we initially had 'request and information' signs in place, asking people to keep dogs on leads. Unfortunately, most people took no notice of the signs, so a byelaw was introduced, with fines for non-compliance. Even then it took a few cases going to court before people actually started to take notice.

[kent]

So put it on a lead or take it elsewhere.

[scotslad]

Most places (countryside code etc) the phrase is 'on lead or close control' so dogs walking to heel of lead would be ok, but as others have said could be local byelaws..

 

As country people u shouldnae need to be told not to walk dogs at this time of year onwards, ground nesting birds are under enough pressure for other things.

Even on the shoot i run i'm very careful where i train my dogs in cover and only use the same area, and often won't train my dogs there at all to leave it in peace but go to other areas that are already disturbed by other dog walkers

[Breastman]

Unless you have impeccable recall skills and your dog is never more willing to let the excitement of a squealing child or another dog override that, personally I don't think your dog should ever be off lead in a public place. Just like people some dogs don't get on, even if they're both perfectly ok with other dogs/people. Separating locked on dogs is no fun.