By keeping dogs on leads, on paths, and cleaning up after them, we can all help keep our precious local wildlife safe and the charity’s new Lead by Example campaign - being piloted at its Attenborough and Skylarks Nature Reserves - aims to encourage a more wildlife-friendly way to visit nature reserves with your dog by reinforcing responsible dog ownership.

The Trust is recruiting a team of dog owners who are passionate about their pets and protecting wildlife – so that their dogs can act as ‘Ambassadogs’.  The charity hopes to roll out the campaign at other sites, including Idle Valley Nature Reserve near Retford, in the coming months.  Whilst the Trust asks people to keep their dogs on a lead whenever they visit our reserves, the charity has decided to launch the Lead by Example campaign now because dog disturbance can be particularly devastating to wildlife in the spring and summer when birds are nesting.  

Erin, whose dog Ginny will be acting as an Ambassadog, added: “Keeping your dog on a lead whilst on a nature reserve is always best for wildlife, but during the bird nesting season it can be the difference between success and failure for breeding birds – especially ground nesting species.”