Let’s paws and reflect – dog walkers invited to take part in new survey

October 8, 2020

Dog walkers who use South Downs heathlands to exercise their furry friends are being invited to take part in a short survey.

The Heathlands Reunited team has launched an online survey to look at dog walking habits on our heathlands, including whether people are going for out longer and more frequent walks since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The poll, which is filled in anonymously, also looks at other behaviours, including keeping canines on leads around livestock and picking up dog mess.

It comes as the Heathlands Reunited team – which is working to protect and enhance the precious heaths of the South Downs – analyses the impact of the Take The Lead campaign. The initiative, working with the National Park Authority, encourages responsible dog walking and has engaged with hundreds of dog walkers, including holding doggy training courses and community events.

There are also now a dedicated group of Heathlands Dog Ambassadors who help to spread the message of responsible dog walking at heathlands, which are home to some of the rarest wildlife in Britain.

Over several centuries the heathlands have been separated into ‘islands’ of habitat – making plants and animals far more vulnerable to local extinction. The lottery-funded Heathlands Reunited team have been working over the past four years to ensure greater connectivity between the sites and raise public awareness of the heaths’ importance.

Colin Carre, Heathlands Reunited Project Manager, said: “Heathlands are such beautiful, tranquil places and are understandably popular with dog walkers.

“A key focus of our project has been to engage with them and promote responsible dog walking to help nature flourish at these incredibly sensitive sites.

“There are no right or wrong answers, but this research will help build a better picture of current dog walking habits and look at how effective the Take The Lead campaign has been. We’d like as many dog walkers as possible who use heathlands to take part in the survey and it will take no more than 10 minutes. Your opinions and experiences are very valuable to us.”

The results of the survey will be compared to a study done in 2018 – which found 71 per cent of respondents had their dog on a lead frequently, or always, near wildlife such as ground-nesting birds. Some 72 per cent of respondents said they always picked up dog mess on paths.

The Heathlands Reunited Team is particularly keen to hear from dog walkers who use the following heathlands:

Chapel Common (near Rake and Milland)
Iping Common (near Stedham and Midhurst)
Wiggonholt Common (near Pulborough and Storrington)
Black Down (near Haslemere)
Woolmer Forest (near Bordon)
Ludshott Common (near Grayshott and Headley)
Shortheath (near Bordon)

To take part in the survey visit

https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/KYPV7YM

The deadline for responses is 13 November 2020.