Pets

Dogs are welcome throughout the Lake District National Park, though specific areas and businesses may not be pet-friendly. Most walks are open to dogs, however, and, on many you don't need to keep your dog on a leash so long as the dog is well behaved, is under voice command and stays nearby. Sheep farmers in particular suffer too many stock losses each year due to unleashed dogs attacking ewes and lambs both in open country and in enclosed fields. Cows, protective of their calves, can also become aggressive. If you're near sheep, therefore, always keep your dog on a leash. If you're charged by a cow protecting its calf, let the dog go or you might risk being crushed. Between March 1 and July 31 you'll need by law to keep your dog on a short, fixed leash when on Open Access land to prevent the disturbance of ground-nesting birds. We shouldn't need to say it, but we do: clean up after your pet. Your pet is your responsibility and the National Park asks that you clean up after your dog and properly dispose of the waste in marked containers. Don't hang your poop bag in the trees or discard it in the long grass. There are no Poop Fairies in the Lake District!