Does anyone know the laws on letting your dog off the lead in a public place?

In the UK?
It's legal in the UK to have a dog off lead pretty much anywhere providing it's under control and there are no other by-laws in place.

Under control generally means that the dog should not interfere with anyone else's activities, have a solid recall and never make any other person fear for their safety.

Thanks.

the last one there is easier said than done as so many people these days seem to completely fear a dog that is simply walking past them paying no attention at all to the individual.

to be honest with you though my dog is rarely on a lead. he doesn't bother anyone, just walks on past.

there is the odd incident however, sometimes if the person seems inviting he will trot over. i call him back and apologise in these cases, but he seems to know who he can go to and who not to.

he also watches prams and push chairs since my sister had a child.
people must think we're nuts calling out "that's not your baby!" sometimes as we've got odd looks, but it's best to call him back as one day last year, with my mother out walking with him, he went over, sat in front of a push chair and laid his head on a young boys lap!
she couldn't believe it at the time, and apologised profusely to the lads mother, who found it quite funny, thankfully. the bairn thought it was lovely!
very lucky though as you could equally see some mothers flying off the handle about it.

he also gives other dogs (and cats) a wide berth. this is the only thing we have to really watch him with at the moment as sometimes this takes him right to the edge of a grass verge. a sharp calling of his name sets him back on track, realising what he's doing and he comes back closer to the path, but this one started after he was set upon by a pair of dogs last year.

Isn't this controlled by by laws ? each council set their own policy usually on a road by road system. Fines in place for people who ignore them.

We tend to take him to the woods, where again they tell you to keep dogs under control, not necessarily on a lead. He's still very young and getting associated with other dogs and people, so he's still quite timid and wary so runs to hide behind us anyway, even if people want to talk to him.

I think if they're on a public highway they have to be leashed but on common ground and parks it is up to the local council's rules.

Mine are off lead once they get to where we're going but on lead other than that.

Under the road traffic act 1988 a dog must be on a lead on a designated road.

Does that only count if its a road not a pavement?

I get frustrated round here at the amount of dogs off leads in a built up housing area.

My dog doesnt particually like other dogs, especially if they bark at him. I hate dogs off leads running up to him with the owner saying dont worry, he wont bite. It frustrates me because i cant guarentee if my dog feels threatened that he wont react. Usually i have to pick him up until the other dog has gone past to avoid possible incidents occuring.

Theres a place near us thats good for dog walking that states you can be fined by the council if your dog isnt on a lead. Sadly theres nobody there to police it so dogs often running everywhere on a nice day. Its sad because it means its stressful taking ours there incase strange dogs run up to him.

I can only be responsible for my dog so i get frustrated seeing dogs running round alone with no owner in sight.

There is an additional rule that states an dog must have a collar and a tag fitted giving the owners name and address if the dog is in a public place or highway but no mention of a lead (The control of dogs order 1992), here in N.I we must also have a colour coded dog licence tag fitted to the collar and have the dog microchipped.

There has been way too many incidents where somebody lets their dog run free, and it runs at me and gets ever so close to me, until the owner shouts the dog back! Fortunately, the dogs have obeyed every time so far, but what if one day somebody's dog doesn't obey the owner's calls and jumps onto me and possibly even attack me?

Once a huge boxer knocked me over! It wasnt aggressive just playful. The owner was nowhere in sight and i didnt hear or see the dog until it was on top of me!

Now im scared that one day it wont be a friendly dog that knocks me down.

Statistically you are far more likely to be assaulted by another human than be attacked by a dog.

Statistically you are not likely to be attacked by anyone if you go out shopping..but it wouldnt stop your heart from pumping a bit faster if you had some unfavourable character following you down an alleyway..

Some people do have a fear of dogs..I dont have a fear but do understand that some people would feel very unnerved with a loose dog running towards them..it is the feeling of the unknown..is that dog with someone, is it friendly...you only have a few seconds to take in this information and if someone feels very uncomfortable or even scared by this then I understand..all the statistics in the world will not stop that fear and who has time for calculations when things happen so fast.

Most owners are responsible..but there are always some complete numptys out there like the ones who have bought a dog off a selling site,had it week and claim he wouldnt hurt a fly how do you distinguish between genuine caring owners who have well trained dogs and numptys like this???? when you only have a few seconds to think it is best to be prepared and not take for granted that the dog running towards you is a well loved family pet who is soft as anything...I feel comfortable around friends dogs that I know..but if a complete strangers dog ran up to me it would stop me in my tracks for a second..and I love dogs..

One incident near my home was particuarly sad and could have had an even worse outcome...friend of my sister was 6 months pregnant..walking her little Lancashire Heeler with her young nephew aged 3...very close to her home..this large dog comes from nowhere growling and snarling..she picks up the little boy..the dog goes for the Lancashire Heeler on the lead and literally ripped him apart in front of both of them..if she didnt have her nephew there she admits she would have automatically picked up her dog..what would have been the outcome of that one?????...her dog was killed...by a "family" pet who had got out of the garden and was close to home..I have seen this dog been walked by the family many times often held on the lead by the 7/8 year old in the family..looking like a big,bouncy bundle of fun...so go figure..just like we cant always read people we cant always read dogs..so best to err on the edge of caution for some..

So throw away comments like your about peoples "irrational" fears are quite rude..those fears are felt by many..not just those who are genuinely scared of dogs..

I agree shirls, I have had dogs since I married so nearly 30 years now but I never let them molest anyone unless the person indicates they want to be monstered by my rather loving slobbery girlie. I was and still am nervous when dogs run up uncontrolled. And that not everyone wants to meet my dogs is basolutely fine, I don't see a problem it would be an odd world if we all liked the same things.

He sounds like a lovely, sensible dog. However, only you know that about him, not strangers. I am always wary about dogs without a lead and the owner always says he/she's fine, he/she won't do anything. That's not the point, I don't know that, so I freeze if one comes near me. I feel safer with them on leads.

Molliepops I know your dogs are your babies and you adore them so it is very refreshing for someone who loves their dogs so much to understand others may be slightly wary of dogs they dont know..my youngest always automatically made his way to dogs to hug them..I had to really get the message across not to do this..now even though he is still only 5 he comes straight out and asks owners..does your dog like children?Can I stroke him? (thats not what I have told him to say but a little question he has made up himself!!!) He never just assumes he can stroke,touch,hug a dog..respect to me works both ways..x

Respect and politeness do go a long way and as you say both sides need to heed that. I love that your child asks he would be welcome to say hello to mine now, both are very friendly sadly poor old Duncan wasn't but now he isn't here the girls are delighted to say hello.

I agree..its difficult to make a child understand that the little fluffy dog on the end of the nice old ladies lead may never have encountered a child..children dont have the same awareness of space and just dive in for a hug..if the dog is on a lead and my son goes striaght up to a dog and throws his arms around them and pushes his face right into theirs..I can hardly complain if the dog is not used to this and nips..like you say respect works both ways x

I met a man last week who had a Rottweiller off the lead on some fields. It came bounding up to me and I nearly died. He was about 50 yds away. He made no effort to call it back and I was petrified and hid behind my friend.

The dog kept circling us and when he eventually got up to us I said "can you PLEASE put your dog on the lead". He just said "no I won't put it on a lead because I know it won't hurt you."

I was so frightened I couldn't even reply but when I'd calmed down I was angry that he was so inconsiderate. I asked around and found out where he lives and I have left a message with local police.

I am a dog owner but didn't have my dog with me. My dog would have been frightened too and would have probably started barking and that might have started the Rottweiller off. Also what about if I'd been an elderly person with a heart condition or a young Mum with toddlers who might start screaming and agitate the dog.

I think he should have put the dog on a lead as soon as he saw us coming and then he could have let it off after we'd passed as there was noone else around. Plain ignorance!

Yes you are right he certainly should have put it on a lead, any dog with iffy recall should not really be off lead anyway.

All I can say about someone like him is big dog and little "something else" !!!!!!....some blokes a dog like this just makes them feel powerful and often they are cowards..I would have been terrified.

I was! My legs turned to jelly and I couldn't make them work. I could barely breathe and my heart was pounding out of my chest.

That is exactly how I would feel, you did the right thing by reporting him.

I have been talking to a very young PCSO and she reckons that unless the dog has attacked or bitten anybody then he doesn't have to have it on a lead in a public place.
I honestly don't think she knows what she's talking about.

She has agreed to go and have a word with him though.