Service Description: Public Rights of Way maintain, protect, sign and legally record the public rights of way network made up of public footpaths, bridleways, and byways. Public Rights of Way manages the most concentrated network of public rights of way in the UK. Within 147 square miles there are 520 miles of rights of way which include 326 miles of footpath, 165 miles of bridleways and 29 miles of byways. This equates to 3.5 miles of rights of way per square mile.
Also known as:- Bridleways, Byway, Country Walks, Footpaths (Grassy etc), Horse Riding, Public Access, Rights of Way, Rights of Way Orders, Walking
Answer: Dogs are considered a ‘usual accompaniment’ of a user of a footpath. There is no actual rule requiring that dogs must be kept on a lead whilst on a public right of way, although there is a requirement that they are kept under control and confined to the line of the path. It is an offence for a dog to be at large in a field or enclosure where there are livestock, unless the dog is owned by the landowner, is a working gun dog, a trained sheep dog, a police dog or part of a pack of hounds. ‘At large’ is defined as not on a lead or otherwise under close control. It is also an offence to allow a dog to chase or attack livestock. A farmer may shoot a dog which is attacking or chasing livestock without being liable to compensate the dog’s owner.