DOG owners are being asked to keep wildlife safe this spring.
Springtime sees a rush of activity, with wild flowers shooting, birds nesting and species emerging from hibernation. The
Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust is urging everyone to minimise disturbance and asking dog owners to keep their pets on short leads when walking through its nature reserves.
Bluebells are a case in point. Many people enjoy the spectacle of visiting woodlands carpeted in blue but these delicate flowers can be damaged by dogs and humans, trampling on them.
When wildlife is disturbed by dogs, it can affect breeding, as well as feeding and foraging behaviour.
Steven Werrell, Senior Project Officer with the trust’s nature reserves team, said: “Simply by keeping dogs on leads, sticking to marked paths and clearing up as we go, we can lessen the impact on nature and continue to enjoy all that it offers.
“This message is particularly pertinent as we head into the bluebell season, where we see an influx of visitors to our woodland reserves.”
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