The RSPCA has welcomed new government guidelines for dog walkers amid ongoing lockdown restrictions.
Advice for pet owners was updated this week explaining people with dogs are permitted to go out more than once a day to exercise their canine companion.
However, it is worth noting the UK Government still advise people to “limit this where possible” and should still maintain the 2-metre rule when walking your dog.
Advice on the Government website explains that you will be able to leave the house to walk your dog covered by exemptions for animal welfare and exercise.
The Government guidelines say you may leave the house to walk your dog under four conditions.
- by yourself
- with the people you live with
- with your support bubble (if you’re legally permitted to form one)
- or, when on your own in a public outdoor space, with one person from another household
England has been under a national lockdown since 5 January - and people may only exercise outside the home once a day. However, the RSPCA says the decision to relax this so pet owners can meet the exercise needs of their dogs locally is a "common sense approach".
In Wales, where national alert level four restrictions have been in force since December 20 there remains no limit on how often someone may exercise. However, people must not travel for exercise, including dog walking - which must start and begin from home.
Dr Samantha Gaines, the RSPCA's head of companion animals, said: "The RSPCA really welcomes this important new guidance for England from the UK Government, which is a common sense approach for dog owners and their pets.
"Under these rules, dog walkers may now go out more than once a day to meet the exercise needs of their dogs.
“This stops the rules penalising dogs living with one person - and also ensures more consistency with lockdown rules in Wales, where there is no cap on how many times someone may walk their dog. Exercise in Wales must start and stop from the home.”
She added: "We all must do our bit to stop coronavirus - so it’s important people understand the restrictions and keep local.
“Keeping dogs on leads at this time can help ensure social distancing, and will avoid owners unnecessarily coming into contact with one another should a pet need to be retrieved."
Rules for dog owners in England
- People can go out for exercise more than once daily if you need to walk your dog - but should limit this where possible.
- People should not travel outside of the local area to exercise.
- If you are self-isolating, use your garden as a place for your dog to toilet and play.
- Someone else may be able to help walk your dog, but must follow advice.
Rules for dog owners in Wales
- There is no limit on how often someone may exercise.
- People should not travel at all for exercise, including dog walking. It must start and begin from home.
- If you are self-isolating, use your garden as a place for your dog to toilet and play.
- Someone else may be able to help walk your dog, but must follow advice.
Why are you making commenting on The Herald only available to subscribers?
It should have been a safe space for informed debate, somewhere for readers to discuss issues around the biggest stories of the day, but all too often the below the line comments on most websites have become bogged down by off-topic discussions and abuse.
heraldscotland.com is tackling this problem by allowing only subscribers to comment.
We are doing this to improve the experience for our loyal readers and we believe it will reduce the ability of trolls and troublemakers, who occasionally find their way onto our site, to abuse our journalists and readers. We also hope it will help the comments section fulfil its promise as a part of Scotland's conversation with itself.
We are lucky at The Herald. We are read by an informed, educated readership who can add their knowledge and insights to our stories.
That is invaluable.
We are making the subscriber-only change to support our valued readers, who tell us they don't want the site cluttered up with irrelevant comments, untruths and abuse.
In the past, the journalist’s job was to collect and distribute information to the audience. Technology means that readers can shape a discussion. We look forward to hearing from you on heraldscotland.com
Comments & Moderation
Readers’ comments: You are personally liable for the content of any comments you upload to this website, so please act responsibly. We do not pre-moderate or monitor readers’ comments appearing on our websites, but we do post-moderate in response to complaints we receive or otherwise when a potential problem comes to our attention. You can make a complaint by using the ‘report this post’ link . We may then apply our discretion under the user terms to amend or delete comments.
Post moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article