Owners in the doghouse

Posted by Northumberland Wildlife Trust on Jul 28, 11 08:30 AM in Bloggers

By Conservation Officer Kevin O'Hara

There is nothing better than a good walk in the countryside through the lanes and along the rides, over the moors or even through the woods.

Each time of the year holds something different - spring greens, summer bursts of life, autumn golds and even in this overcrowded little island of ours, there are still places where you can find peace and solitude.

I am truly lucky in that I have access to many parts of the countryside that some do not, and on most occasions that is for good reason, sensitive wildlife locations or land-use issues. Don't get me wrong, I'm a great advocate for access to the countryside but I do understand the stance of many who are reticent, especially when one comes across unruly visitors and their dogs.

Yes, it's that time of year when I get very hot under the collar about the need for a licence for dogs, or is that a licence for people with dogs?

Some people really just don't get that what they see as Fido just enjoying himself or playing, is actually their hunting instincts kicking in.

Now, I know I have three of the most unruly dogs on the planet, but where I differ from others is that I know and can manage them - well, most of the time anyway - with something called a lead. However, there are people out there who think their unseen activities are just them "having fun".

I was walking my dogs around land we have access to for shooting, and I was on the edge of a large field in a piece of woodland. There is a tractor path along one field edge but it is not a public footpath, and a double carriageway along the other. So I was a little surprised to see two hares heading towards me at speed and behind them, in the distance, some very excited barking.

Over the rise, not one but two spaniels came toward me, chasing everything in their path.

The dogs, doing what comes naturally, just kept going and going toward the dual carriageway, and along the embankment they scattered rabbits, birds and more pheasants flying low over the carriageway.

At this point it was looking decidedly dangerous and the dogs were nearly 1km away and on the edge of the dual carriageway - their owners still blissfully wandering along the private track. My colleague was on site that day and luckily managed to rein in the hounds.

These incidences come despite our constant pleas for dogs to be under control. Please respect our requests for consideration for the wildlife on our reserves - we take a very serious view on dogs disturbing wildlife and insist on prosecution of dog owners, if it is proven their animal has harmed wildlife.

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