Brecon Beacons dog code
The vast majority of responsible dog owners follow the dog’s code, don’t be one of the irresponsible few.
Dog Poo spread diseases!
Your dog could catch or spread fatal diseases from uncollected dog-mess.
Look after your four legged friend by picking up and disposing of mess in the nearest public waste bin or take it home – bag it and bin it.
An airtight container is good to hold bagged poo, as it keeps the smell locked in!
Worms
Protect your dog’s health through a regular worming programme, speak to your local vet for advice.
Keep me close
It is natural for your dog to run and be inquisitive, this can potentially put your dog and others in danger.
If your dog is too excited to return once called, keep them safe on a lead.
Grazing animals:
If you see grazing animals or know they are nearby, keep your dog safely on a lead until you are clear. – If chased by cattle or horses slip your dog off its lead.
1st March to 31st July:
Keep our Brecon Beacons a safe place for vulnerable animals and their young by sticking to paths and enjoying walks with your dog on a lead when out in open countryside or requested to do so.
Loose dogs allowed to run away from paths can cause disturbance all year.
Dog Faeces
Dog faeces can cause blindness, children are particularly at risk.
Just as you wouldn’t put meat in your composting or let your dog’s poop kill your lawn, faeces damage our most special countryside sites.
Cleaning up after your dog is one of the key areas of responsibilities for dog owners, especially when in public spaces. You can face considerable fines if you do not.
Reduce complaints about dogs and their owners in your local community by keeping public spaces foul free.
The Canine Code
All about your dog and worms:
https://www.bluecross.org.uk/pet-advice/intestinal-worms-dogs
If you don’t already have a vet or are visitor, local vets can be found here:
http://www.any-uk-vet.co.uk/
Support our rural economy and British Farming by picking up after your dog when enjoying the park.
The National Sheep Association advises that:
Dog faeces can cause serious diseases in sheep through the contamination of grass (the main food source for sheep) and water. Dog waste on grazing land can pass worms and parasites to other dogs, sheep and wildlife, so it is just as vital to clear up after you dog in the countryside as it is in the town. The eggs of worms and parasites can survive on the ground for a long time (some up to three years!) so dog mess must even be cleared from fields that do not currently have livestock grazing in them. It is also important to keep your dog thoroughly wormed all year round.
Diseases transmitted to sheep through dog faeces can be fatal, and can cause unpleasant effects such as impaired vision and neurological symptoms. Some can cause a sheep’s meat to be condemned, making the animal worthless. Sheep are valuable assets and the loss of a sheep or of the value of a sheep’s meat is a significant financial blow to a farmer.
Keep me close!
To avoid distress and confrontation whilst out on a walk, show you are a considerate dog owner by preventing your dog from approaching horse riders, cyclists, or other people and their dogs uninvited, not everyone is as comfortable or confident around dogs as you are. As a general rule, it's considerate to keep your dog on a lead if you cannot rely on its obedience.
Remember, a farmer may shoot a dog which is attacking or chasing farm animals without being liable to compensate the dog’s owner.
Grazing animals:
If cattle or horses chase you and your dog, it is safer to let your dog off its lead – don’t risk getting hurt trying to protect it. Your dog will be much safer if you let it run away and so will you.
The national Dog Walking Code advises how to stay SAFE around farm animals and horses:
•Stop, look and listen before entering a field; be aware of any animals present
• Always keep your dog on a short lead
• Find the safest route around animals, giving them plenty of space and using paths or access land where possible
• Exit the area calmly and quickly if threatened, releasing your dog to make it easier for you both to reach safety
The Code can be found here
1st March to 31st July
By law, you must keep your dog under effective control so your dog does not disturb or scare farm animals or wildlife. You must keep your dog on a short lead on most areas of open country and common land between 1 March and 31 July, and at all times near farm animals.
The PDSA offers good advice here.
Ground nesting birds and their young are particularly vulnerable from March through to September and are often well hidden. Sticking to paths when out in the open countryside and keeping any games along the line of a path (when clear and safe to do so) will help to protect them.
According to the RSPB:
Ground nesting birds are particularly vulnerable to disturbance. They may be forced from their nests, which would leave eggs or chicks exposed. Most birds will nest between March and September so disturbing nesting birds should be less of a problem outside this period.
However, disturbance can be a problem for birds outside the breeding season too, particularly in cold weather. Birds need to conserve their energy as much as possible and the presence of a dog could distress the birds and cause them to waste valuable energy at a time when food is hard to come by.