Bird Flu - are you still walking round lakes?

[birdflu]

Most of the lovely walks round here involve a lake but a while ago there was lots of news about bird flu. I don't know what the current situation is but we haven't been to the lakes since and the walks are boring.

What are others doing if you've had bird flu also round your way?

I want to revert to walking round the lake but don't want to be irresponsible.

I've never even though to change where I walk the dog because of bird flu.

We have a pet bird so are taking precautions.

If you don't have a bird in the family I wouldn't give it a second thought.

There has been some publicity in various areas where bird flu has been detected to be cautious when walking dogs. Do not touch the dead birds and do not allow your dogs to pick them up.

Do you not have signs up telling you to keep dogs on lead/stay away?

We do, we live along the Thames.

It hasn't changed where we walk at all - but then I tend not to go places with swans as DDog is an idiot and will walk up to them.

Birds are absolutely everywhere - there's sparrows, blackbirds and pigeons in my back garden - so avoiding lakes is going to have very little effect.

Honestly this hadn't occurred to me and we have chickens in flockdown! Obviously ddog isn't in contact with them. But generally yes it's important dogs don't have contact with dead birds ATM which could be by lakes or in woodland or on moors. On lead or in sight so you can call them away fast. I think the risk to dogs is small but humans and dogs need to be careful not to spread infected bird remains around.

In Epping Forest, we just have instructions by ponds to keep dogs on lead, not let them approach birds and on no account should we feed the birds. Sadly, I witnessed one woman feeding a carrier bagful of food to a crowd of ducks, geese and swans she had lured to the bank. I hope they survived and didn't pass the bird flu around especially as it is our first family of swans for 3 or 4 years. I didn't get near enough to berate her,as I had dog with me (and I have a bird at home).

Nope.

I keep my dog on lead around birds anyway though as he likes to pick fights with swans and geese