Close control
Our definition of close or effective control is:
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Being able to recall your dogs in any situation at the first call.
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Being able to clearly see your dog at all times (not just knowing they have gone into the undergrowth or over the crest of the hill). In practice this means keeping them on a footpath if the surrounding vegetation is too dense for your dog to be visible.
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Not allowing them to approach other visitors without their consent.
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Having a lead with you to use if you encounter livestock, wildlife or you are asked to use one.
Dogs and wildlife
A number of our countryside sites are designated for their wildlife significance and many species, several of which are on the endangered list, live within woodlands, heathland, in ponds, across the fields and hedgerows, and we know that as animal lovers, our dog walking visitors are keen to help us protect them.
The best way to do this is to keep dogs on short leads between 1 March and 31 July during bird ground-nesting season, particularly at rare heathland sites such as Bickerton, Thurstaston Common and on the Cloud near Congleton, where other species including invertebrates and reptiles will also be breeding.
Dog Fouling and Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order
On 1 November 2017, within the borough of Cheshire East, a Dog Fouling and Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order took effect. As several of our Cheshire countryside places, including Hare Hill, Alderley Edge, Maggoty Wood, Mobberley and parts of Bickerton Hill, Mow Cop and the Cloud are in Cheshire East, and the order is enforceable within them, we would like to let you know what this order means.
The order states that anyone failing to remove dog faeces that their dog has left, or anyone who has not placed their dog on a lead in areas where they have been asked to by the landowner, will be subject to an ‘on the spot’ Fixed Penalty Notice up to the value of £100. This Fixed Penalty Notice can be given by Cheshire Constabulary Police Officers, Cheshire Constabulary Police Community Support Officers or Designated Cheshire East Council Officers. Further details about this Public Protection Order can be downloaded from the Cheshire East Council office here.
Thank you for helping to keep our Cheshire and Wirral countryside sites pleasant places to visit, and our Farmers’ livestock and nesting wildlife safe, as you and your dog enjoy your walk.