Paws for thought!

Northumberland Wildlife Trust and Dogs Trust have launched advice to encourage owners to keep their pooches on leads during nesting season from now until August.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust encourages dog owners to consider the importance of keeping their pets on leads during visits to nature reserves and the wider countryside. This will help protect ground-nesting birds such as skylarks, lapwings, meadow pipits and nightjars, as well as other birds such as robins and dunnocks that nest close to the ground. Unsupervised dogs can unintentionally cause harm, so it is vital that they are kept under control.

Springtime brings with it the arrival of many exciting migratory species, which have travelled thousands of miles to nest at nature reserves throughout the UK. Many of these birds nest on or close to the ground, where they’re particularly vulnerable. Disturbance from dogs can lead to them abandoning their nests leaving their eggs to go cold and losing their eggs or chicks. Some bird species are already struggling and disturbance by dogs can make it even harder for them to survive.

It’s not just birds that affected by dogs. Across the region, they have chased and attacked the Trust’s Flexigraze conservation project’s sheep and Exmoor ponies on a number of its reserves including East Chevington and Holywell Pond, not to mention seals resting on the beaches at its Cresswell and Annstead Dunes reserves.  

Dogs enrich our lives, but they also bring a level of responsibility. Whilst many of us enjoy taking our dogs for long walks, especially as it becomes a bit warmer, we urge dog owners to consider their surroundings, particularly when visiting areas where they might encounter wildlife.

Dr Jenna Kiddie, Head of Canine Behaviour at Dogs Trust