Windsor dog walkers say rule change will affect business
Thousands of dog care professionals and owners have hit out at new laws set to be introduced within the Windor Estate’s land.
The estate has decided to change the policy for professional dog walkers on 25 February. The new policy will mean that they are not allowed to walk more than four dogs at one time and must not meet with other visitors that would lead to a group of more than eight dogs.
Additionally, dog walkers are also required to obtain additional permits from the Crown Estate to operate in Windsor Great Park, Swinley Forest, and Buttersteep Forest. This would cost professional dog walking companies an additional £1,100 per person a top of their insurance to operate in all areas.
A petition, launched by dog walker Louisa Pensa, has so far attracted more than 1,800 signatures to increase the number of dogs allowed to six per person, in line with the Defra licensing and insurance regulations.
The petition says: “The changes in these policies will have a devastating impact on the professional dog walking community, and the dogs and families themselves who rely on the service provided by professional dog walkers.
“It can’t be denied that in recent years the scale of dog ownership has skyrocketed in this country, increasing the demand for dog daycare, walking and boarding services.
“As professional dog walkers we feel extremely lucky to have access to such wonderful spaces as the crown estate lands to exercise our dogs, however we fear losing the ability to operate our small businesses at all with the new restrictions imposed.”
The dog walkers say a six dog limit will allow for greater availability for them to organise their day around multiple clients.
The petition says: “As part of dog boarding licensing it is a requirement that dogs are not left alone for more than three hours, and so it would be impossible for dog boarders/walkers to increase the number of walks they do in one day and not be in breach of their license.
“In the right hands six is a perfectly manageable, fun and safe number of dogs, in many instances one dog in the wrong hands is what causes problems.”
Professional dog walkers agree that a permit scheme is necessary to regulate the quality of the services operating on crown estate land.
A representative for the Crown Estate told Bracknell News: “While we are supportive of local businesses, we must prioritise the safety and security of our visitors to Windsor Great Park and protect both the environment and local wildlife.”
The estate said the new permit system brings the practice in line with other businesses that operate within the Windsor Estate.
