Imagine if it were possible to do good for local wildlife and for other people, just by taking your dog for a walk. Well, it is, if you do two simple things while out walking…

But first, meet Martha. She’s a 2 year old French Bulldog rescue, and she’s a ball of crazy energy. After a rough start in life and an operation to open her airway, she’s finding a new lease of life on walks with me at Nene Wetlands. Walking her around the Nature Reserve has given me a new perspective. When I work there, I’m a conservationist. When I come with my binoculars at the weekend, I’m a bird watcher. When the weather is dry (when will that be again?), I sometimes cycle to the office at Rushden Lakes, joining the many cyclists that pass through. Now I’m a dog walker. Seeing the Nature Reserve from different perspectives helps me see how important it is to so many different groups of people.

This melting pot of different types of people that come to the Reserve is one of the main reasons I wanted to work at Nene Wetlands in the first place. I don’t know of anywhere else in England (nor the world) where you can get a cappuccino and a new pair of trainers, then see 1% of the world’s population of Gadwall Ducks on the walk home. On that walk home you might pass cyclists on their way to work, runners keeping fit, people in mobility scooters using the accessible paths, school children on an educational visit, young bird watchers seeing their first ever Kingfisher passing down the Nene, or someone who’s wearing the same trainers you just bought. They must have good taste.

You’ll also meet dog walkers. Lots of them. We’re a nation of dog lovers – according to the PDSA, there are 11 million dogs in the UK. That’s a lot of balls being chased, floors being snoozed on, and sofa cushions being torn apart. About 30% of adults have dogs. A very rough calculation based on current census numbers for Irthlingborough, Higham Ferrers and Rushden suggests there might be between 10 and 20 thousand dogs living within a stick’s throw of Nene Wetlands. If you thought ‘really?!’ when you read that, so did I. That’s a lot of Pedigree Chum.

It’s also a lot of responsibility – after all, they rely entirely on us for food, shelter, and guidance on right and wrong. With so much wildlife and so many people, when we walk our dogs on a Nature Reserve like Nene Wetlands, we need to be considerate. Luckily, it means doing just two simple things – keep dogs on leads, and pick up their poo and take it with you.

These are rules at all Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire – with the exception of a couple of Reserves where dogs aren’t allowed. There is also a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place for North Northamptonshire, making it an offence not to keep dogs on leads and pick up after them. These rules are in place to make sure these special, but fragile places are protected for future generations. What follows is a series of questions and answers based on conversations my colleagues and I have had around these rules. If you have questions about the rules, read on.

Why do we need to prioritise nature at Nature Reserves?

Our Nature Reserves are like Intensive Care Units for wildlife – places where we intervene heavily to maximise the amount of wildlife that lives there. Just 3% of England is protected and in a favourable state for wildlife¹. When we compare that to land that we humans use – e.g. 8.6% developed land, and over 60% for agriculture², wildlife is squeezed into a few small places.

Unfortunately, we are undergoing a major ecological crisis. Wildlife and the wild places we do have are being damaged, destroyed and pushed to the margins of our lives. Catastrophic species loss means the way we experience nature is already different today compared with the experiences of our parents and grandparents. Our natural habitats take years or even centuries to establish. Once lost they are difficult to replace, and species extinction is forever. We need healthy natural places rich in wildlife – they provide so much for us³.

The good news is, all is not lost! By keeping to a few simple rules including keeping dogs on leads and picking up after your dog, you can make a real difference for your local wildlife. This won’t solve the problem entirely, but it really will help. We’re doing all we can too – Natural England class The Nene Wetlands as ‘Unfavourable, Recovering’⁴, meaning the land is not yet at its best for wildlife but we’re doing the right things to make it so in the future, including managing the Reserve to benefit nature, and to benefit people who want to enjoy nature responsibly.

What are the rules relating to dogs?

Dogs must be on leads at all Wildlife Trust Nature Reserves in Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire, including all of Nene Wetlands, Summer Leys and Titchmarsh. On some Reserves, dogs are not allowed. Commercial dog walking is not allowed. More information can be found on our website⁵. Other Wildlife Trusts have similar policies in place; it’s best to check directly with the relevant Wildlife Trust if travelling to another county.

There is also a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) in place for North Northamptonshire, which states that dogs must be on a lead of fixed length and of not more than 2 metres (extendable leads locked at no more than 2 metres are acceptable), and owners must pick up their dogs’ faeces and remove them from the land, by taking them away with them or by depositing in a dog bin. The Order relates to land within the Upper Nene Gravel Pits SPA including Nene Wetlands, Summer Leys and Titchmarsh, as well as other non Wildlife Trust spaces such as Stanwick Lakes. More details can be found on the North Northants Council Website⁹.

What if I break the rules?

According to the PSPO, any person who fails to comply with any obligation imposed by the order is guilty of an offence by virtue of section 67(1) of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 and liable to a fine of up to £1000.

This document and those referenced by it contain a wealth of information on why keeping dogs on leads and picking up after them on Nature Reserves is the right thing to do. As well as being liable to a fine, if you choose to not adhere to the rules, you are choosing to not do what you can for nature and your actions will have a negative impact on the place you have come to enjoy.

My dog is well-behaved, has a great recall and gets on with other animals; why do I still need to be careful on nature reserves?

Keeping your dog close on a short lead helps to minimise distress and disturbance caused to wildlife. Often, wildlife will be disturbed and move on quietly without us being aware it was there in the first place. If your dog is off the lead it is likely causing disturbance to wildlife, which can cause a reduction in feeding and breeding success and may ultimately cause a decrease in population numbers. Wildlife Trusts welcome a wide variety of visitors to their nature reserves, from wildlife enthusiasts to school groups. Some people are scared, or just wary of dogs, and it might not be obvious that person is afraid. They don’t know what type of dog is approaching them, even if it won’t harm them. We need to make the reserve welcoming for all, and it’s not fair to make others feel uncomfortable and unwelcome. Some dogs are scared of other dogs and find it scary when other dogs come near them – our Reserves should be safe places for all dogs and their owners.

What’s the evidence that wildlife is affected by dogs off leads?

Keeping your dog on a lead really does make a difference, even if it doesn’t seem like it will change much. There are many studies that look at disturbance caused by dogs off leads. A recent study⁵ across the Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SPA⁶ including at Nene Wetlands found that dogs off leads were four times more likely to cause disturbance than dogs on leads. The study recorded 4,937 visits to key locations in the SPA and found that dogs not on a lead were four times more likely to cause disturbance than dogs on leads. In total, visits by dogs off leads led to a disturbance event in 19% of instances and dogs on leads in 4.5% of instances. The study also found that dogs off leads were the most common cause of bird disturbance, leading to 42% of all disturbance events.

Do I need to keep my dog on a lead around cows and sheep?

Dogs off leads have a significant effect on livestock, so dogs must be kept on a lead near them. A National Farmers Union study showed more people were letting their dogs off leads in the countryside last year than in 2022, and that dog attacks on livestock such as cows and sheep had increased by a third, causing a cost of around £2.4 million in 2023⁷. Unfortunately, we’ve seen instances on our Nature Reserves where sheep have been traumatised, even if there is a fence in between, badly injured and even killed by dogs off leads⁸.  Keeping your dog on a lead not only protects wildlife, it protects livestock too.

How do I know whether to keep my dog on a lead in a nature reserve?

Summer Leys has clear signs at all entrances stating dogs must be on a lead and that waste must be picked up. Many Wildlife Trust nature reserves welcome dogs with responsible owners and have clear signage stating where a dog needs to be on a lead. There are also some nature reserves where Trusts kindly ask visitors not to bring their dogs. This is usually because the wildlife on site is particularly vulnerable to disturbance by dogs. Check each Wildlife Trust’s website before heading to a reserve to find information about how to organise walks while ensuring wildlife is protected. They will let you know where you can and can’t take your dog.

Do I need to pick up after my dog? What do I need to think about when taking my dog on a walk around a nature reserve?

It’s best to keep your dog on a lead and in sight at all times when exploring wild places. Please consider wildlife around you and other users. Remember to pick up all dog waste and dispose of it in appropriate bins or take it away with you. Dog poo adds excess nutrients to the soil that can have a major effect on the type of plants that can grow there - soil enriched with dog faeces encourages the growth of coarser plants including nettles and thistles which outcompete most wildflowers.

Why can't my dog enter lakes, rivers or other water?

Please do not encourage your dog to swim in lakes, rivers or other water. These areas are home to wildlife that your dog can disturb and there is also a risk of your pet getting injured. Dogs may also pollute water with chemicals used in flea treatments – these can be extremely harmful to aquatic life and have a knock on effect on all wildlife.

There's so much space in the fields at Nene Wetlands and Summer Leys, why can’t my dog run free in those areas?

The open areas at Nene Wetlands and Summer Leys are home to a wide range of wildlife, including ground-nesting birds such as redshank, lapwing and terns. The birds that nest in these areas are often very well camouflaged to hide from predators whilst sitting on their eggs. This makes them very difficult for people to spot, so you might not even know they're there. But they're very sensitive to disturbance. When a dog gets too close, they are likely to leave the nest, making the eggs or chicks more vulnerable. Many of the birds we protect are already heavily in decline – for example, we have lost about 60% of our lapwing in the last 50 years – we have to do everything we can to protect the rest.

I have a guide-dog – can you advise on how accessible your nature reserves are?

Nene Wetlands and Summer Leys both have accessible paths - it’s best to check the reserve’s website for up-to-date information about accessibility and each site’s particular requirements before you set off to visit; signs on-site will also tell you about any restrictions. If you see someone else with an assistance dog, please remember they are not pets and are highly trained which means they will not wander freely around a reserve, will always remain with their owner and are unlikely to foul in a public place.

Can I still walk my dog on nature reserves where there are grazing animals?

Responsible dog owners and their dogs are welcome on some nature reserves, though there are some areas where dogs must remain on leads or cannot be permitted due to the delicate nature of some of the habitats the Wildlife Trusts are working to conserve. Please take extra care when walking your dog near grazing livestock, keep them on a short lead and heed the warning signs on the nature reserves – they are there to protect you, other visitors, your dog and other animals. Please clear up after your dog as dog poo can cause illnesses in livestock, as well as to people and wildlife.

Why do nature reserves allow visitors with dogs when there is so little space left for wildlife?

Saving the UK’s wildlife and wild places and helping them to recover from past losses and damage has been a central aim of The Wildlife Trusts throughout their history. For more than a century, we have been saving, protecting and standing up for wildlife and wild places. To achieve this we believe that connecting people with nature is vital and we recognise that for many dog-owners this connection can be established whilst exercising their dog.

How can I give my dog the exercise it needs and run around outdoors?

There are lots of great ways for your dog to exercise and stretch their legs safely whilst outdoors. Some of those nearest to Nene Wetlands are listed below. There are also a growing number of canicross events nationwide, which exercise your dog on a lead whilst you run or jog – see https://www.canicross.org.uk/.

Where can I find out more about the best places to walk my dog, or more information about dogs and Nature Reserves?

Nene Valley Woofs have some great information on where to find the best dog walks, and tips for how to protect nature in the Nene Valley on their website¹⁰, and there’s more info on our website⁵ on how to be a responsible dog owner on our Nature Reserves. You can also come to the Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre at Rushden Lakes to chat to one of our knowledgeable volunteers – they also have dog treats, to ensure your dog gets a warm welcome!

Dogs off Leads areas near Nene Wetlands

References

1. Wildlife and Countryside Link,  30 by 30: Land for Nature’s Recovery https://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/Link_30x30_paper_18%20November.pdf

2. Dept. for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Land Use Factsheet https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/64e6146d1ff6f3000d70ae83…

3. Wikipedia, Ecosystem Service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ecosystem_service

4. Natural England, Upper Nene Valley Gravel Pits SSSI Site Unit List https://designatedsites.naturalengland.org.uk/SiteUnitList.aspx?SiteCod…

5. WildlifeBCN, The Importance of Keeping Dogs on Leads, https://www.wildlifebcn.org/news/importance-keeping-dogs-leads

6. Nene Valley, Special Protection Area, https://nenevalley.net/spa/

7. FarmingUK, 'Complacency kills': Cost of dog attacks surges by nearly one third, https://www.farminguk.com/news/-complacency-kills-cost-of-dog-attacks-s…

8. WildlifeBCN, Sheep killed at Pegsdon in dog attack, https://www.wildlifebcn.org/news/sheep-killed-pegsdon-dog-attack

9. North Northants Council, Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs)

 https://www.northnorthants.gov.uk/community-safety-and-emergencies/publ…

10. Nene Valley, Nene Valley Woofs, https://nenevalley.net/see-and-do/nenevalleywoofs/