Published on 21 October 2024
David Bavin (Project Lead) – National Trust
Sarah Crowley – University of Exeter
Matthew Heard – National Trust
Michelle Twena – National Trust
Clare Bissell – National Trust
ExCASES Missions provide short, intense periods of focus towards issues communicated as priorities for RENEW partner organisations and external stakeholders. The ExCASES team work collaboratively with people across different sectors and disciplines, co-designing research and participatory processes to generate empowering outcomes for people and the environment.
Dog ownership encourages people to exercise, bringing physical, social and psychological benefits, and can positively influence appreciation and connectedness with nature. However, dogs can also cause disruption to others’ enjoyment of public spaces through poor behaviours and fouling, and their direct and indirect impacts on wildlife (disturbance, predation, fouling, diet) are recognised as a significant conservation issue. While global trends indicate an overall negative effect on wildlife, the impacts of dogs are often context-specific and in many cases poorly evidenced, so this issue needs further analysis.
Communities have strong belief systems regarding how dogs should behave and be managed. Low compliance levels with conservation guidance and recommendations (e.g., using a lead, or avoiding sensitive habitats) and assumed societal ‘norms’ that attempt to limit the impacts of dogs can cause considerable conflict. In the UK, managing dogs and their owners is a priority for most nature conservation organisations and many different approaches are used by land managing stakeholders. However, currently the sharing of best practice and knowledge about evidencing impacts of different interventions and strategies is limited.
This ExCASES mission worked towards overcoming these knowledge gaps by convening a diverse group of stakeholders to holistically evaluate evidence of interactions between people, dogs, and nature. We drew on findings from the Protected Site Strategies systematic review undertaken by Theme 2 researchers, to collate evidence from grey and academic literature on the nature of dog impacts and the measures being taken to reduce negative impacts. We also mapped the relationship between the density of dog populations (using data from the Animal and Plant Health Agency) and the location of protected habitats in England (using data from the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology).
We then convened three participatory workshops with stakeholders from the conservation, outdoor access and canine sectors to combine this technical information with practitioner knowledge and experience, to identify key problem areas and effective mitigations.
What emerged from the workshops was a collective feeling that the environmental impacts of dog-walking were not necessarily hard for people to understand, but they were not being communicated effectively (if at all) to dog owners. A more coherent, consistent, national approach towards communicating the impacts and implementing interventions would lead to greater efficacy of interventions and adherence to guidance among dog walkers. A collective, cross-sectoral effort is therefore required to engage dog owners in a relatable way.
The team produced a report drawing together the lessons from the process and making recommendations to support environmentally friendly dog-walking. One of the key recommendations from this work is a UK-wide traffic light zoning system to make it really easy to understand what access is allowed wherever people are walking their dogs. Green pawprints = dogs welcome off-lead, with facilities provided; Amber pawprints = “paws on paths”, i.e. dogs on marked trails, leads near livestock; Red pawprints = no dogs, due to sensitive habitats like nesting grounds or seal beaches. This approach could help reduce confusion and improve compliance, especially if paired with clear, consistent signage. With that in mind, the team have also produced an interventions guidance document and ‘A good walk for all’ infographic.
Our workshops with ecologists, land managers, and dog behaviour experts revealed a crucial insight: dog owners want to do the right thing, but they need the right tools and information. That’s why one of the key recommendations is a UK-wide traffic light zoning system to make it easier for everyone to understand what is allowed in different places or at different times of year.
The report was published in June 2025 and featured in The Conversation. Shortly after publication, the team were keynote speakers at an All-Party Parliamentary Group workshop, with stakeholders now seeking to promote this approach. They are also currently trialling the interventions guidance with National Trust property teams, most recently at Anglesey Abbey, to test approaches to implementation on the ground.
“I have learned about some impacts I was not aware of and it’s opened my mind to new kinds of interventions.” – Policy maker
“I have come away with a greater appreciation of how many organisations are working on this and the scope for shared knowledge and working.” – Animal Welfare Organisation
“I have a much better understanding of the issues involved and scope of the challenge.” – Conservationist
“Love the One Health approach. Especially the idea that we are part of nature, not just ‘in’ it.” – Dog Trainer & Conservationist
“It was good that the interactive sessions were all different – not the same method. This helped keep us thinking fresh thoughts.” – Conservationist
Paws for Thought: towards environmentally friendly dog walking in the UK.
Paws for Thought: Adopting a standardised, holistic approach towards managing the impacts of dog walking on the environment in the UK.
Paws for Thought Infographic.
Paws for Thought GIS Storyboard.
Banner image: Jamie Street, Unsplash
