Fife Council promotes responsible dog walking

Fife Council has launched a campaign to encourage dog walkers to keep pets under control when out in the countryside and in open spaces. 

The Take the Lead campaign, in partnership with Police Scotland and supported by the National Farmers Union, asks dog walkers to be considerate and responsible when out and about. 

The campaign stresses the importance of keeping dogs under control in various situations. Key advice is to: 

• Keep a short lead with you and use it when needed, for example around livestock, wildlife and ground nesting birds or where signage requests it.
• Do not let dogs off the lead unless you keep it in sight and close enough to come back to you on command.
• Keep dogw on the lead if it has poor recall.
• Prevent dogs from approaching horse riders, cyclists, or other people and their dogs.
• Keep dogs with you on paths or access land, and don’t let it stray into crops including, fields of grass, fruit and vegetables.
• Never let your dog worry or chase wildlife or livestock. 

The campaign is also asking dog owners and walkers to bag and bin their dog poo. 

Councillor Linda Erskine, Fife Council spokesperson for Communities and Leisure, said: “Through the ‘Take the Lead’ campaign, we urge owners that are unsure about their dogs’ reactions to wildlife, livestock, and other dogs, to take the lead and keep their dogs under control.” 

Throughout 2024, Fife Council’s Safer Communities Team will run ‘Take the Lead’ days of action at various venues, providing essential advice on keeping dogs, the countryside, and open spaces, safe.