A reminder for anyone planning to exercise their dogs in 'open countryside' of the law

[Scrowy]

The fells and mountains, indeed the countryside in general is not your dogs personal playground now everywhere else is shut.

The Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 states that between 1st March - 31st July ALL dogs being exercised on open access land (the fells, moors and mountains) should be kept on a lead at all times to protect groundnesting birds. Yes that includes nice friendly little dogs, they can still scare birds away from their nests without you realising.

It's lambing time and calving time for many farmers. If you are walking through farmland then you need to keep dogs on a lead and stick to the footpath AT ALL TIMES even if you can't see livestock. It is not your dog's field to go and poo wherever they like. It's tomorrow's food for our animals.

Just because there is a right of way doesn't mean you should use it. There is a huge difference between a right of way and a public footpath. Please where possible stay away from farmland and farmyards. We can't get sick, there is no one to replace us and animals will suffer.

Farmers are terrified that we are going to become overwhelmed with the nation's dog walkers. It's hard enough trying to get people to stick to the law at the best of times.

Very well said. 👏👏👏

You're totally right stressing this applies to ALL dogs, including small cute family ones. It annoys me when I've got my larger dogs on leads and they're greeted by smaller off lead dogs with a family gushing about how cute they are, they won't do any harm, (usually) Dad makes a bad joke about how they're hardly going to take down a sheep.

People in cities shouldn’t be driving to the country to walk their dogs anyway. So that just means you should only have the usual local people who will know the rules about walking dogs.

Shouldn't doesn't mean won't.

Well put.

National parks are not a large park you can go anywhere in. No one would dream of just walking the through a factory so why do they think they can walk through a farm.

Lots of folks have woken up this morning and decided to lay down the law for others.

People in cities shouldn’t be driving to the country to walk their dogs anyway

They will continue to do so until someone stops them.

That's been made perfectly clear here and elsewhere on the internet

Lots of folks have woken up this morning and decided to lay down the law for others

I post a similar post every year on mumsnet at this time of year because the British public people seem to think the law doesn't apply to them.

Perhaps everyone else will now start to realise how frustrating this is for farmers all year round.

@dudsville

Because it has become obvious that many people have no common sense and give not a flying fuck about anyone else.

Might be good for the nation to have to stick to a few more rules for a bit- instead of the law of ‘I’m alright Jack’.

Shouldn't doesn't mean won't.
The last few weeks have proven this.

Lots of folks have woken up this morning and decided to lay down the law for others
I think the majority of people who are staying at home, who have been socially distancing, who have been responsible, who haven't gone to sodding beach, who haven't decamped to second homes or driven motorhomes to small rural communities, who haven't gone to soft play/the gym/shopping centres and so on are quite rightly now irritated that we're at almost lockdown when the virus could have been slowed if people just listened to what they were told.

At the moment we can still leave our houses and exercise. Many of us don't want to lose this too.

At the moment we can still leave our houses and exercise. Many of us don't want to lose this too

This.
If people take the piss again. The lockdown criteria will become even more strict.

I am a dog owner (I have one of the cute little ones, but I am well aware that no matter how cute and little she is, she is still a dog and can be a little terror at times). I'm sticking to walks in my hometown, the ones where you'll meet hardly anyone and you don't have to be constantly opening gates. It's going to be a massive pain in the arse because I live close to the Lake District and the weather has only just got better but hey, these are exceptional circumstances and sacrifices must be made.

As expected, still plenty of people and dogs roaming about all over the place today as if nothing has changed.

Lots of folks have woken up this morning and decided to lay down the law for others

No, the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000 does that.

And if anyone needs it I'm sure someone can dig out a link to the law which allows a farmer to shoot a dog which is worrying livestock. It doesn't have to savage a sheep, chasing a pregnant ewe can cause abortion of the lamb.

Too many people don't know how to behave appropriately in the countryside at the best of times, unfortunately. Some of the new crop of visitors may not even be aware that ground nesting birds exist.

I've already seen videos online of someone who has left London for the countryside letting a little terrier harass a field of sheep and lambs. The woman filming is laughing as if it's just hilarious these poor sheep trying to protect their lambs, just because it's a small dog doesn't mean it can't do harm, the sheep could die of stress

well done, OP. And to remind everyone, including locals, that if it is a public road your dog must be on a lead. Not 'under control' BUT ON A LEAD. it is the law however little traffic there is.

and cycling solo is also allowed, same as walking. Don't shriek out of car windows, stupid.

ps although farmers don't have an automatic right to shoot dogs that are worrying livestock, they can do it. If you think you are going to get any court time to complain, think again.

on a lead. It is only a dog and is much less important than people.

Lots of folks have woken up this morning and decided to lay down the law for others

The law in the countryside has the same importance and consequences as any law in the city.
If you dont like them dont come here!

Well said OP.