National Trust & Forthglade Launch Dogs Welcome project with help from TV presenter & explorer Simon Reeve

The National Trust, in partnership with Forthglade natural pet food, have launched a new initiative, the Dogs Welcome project, to improve access for four-legged friends across the beautiful places that the Trust cares for in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland. From introducing more dog-friendly trails, dog waste bins, wash down areas, and drinking stations, the National Trust will be taking several steps to ensure dog owners and their pups feel welcome.

With improved facilities and overall making it easier for those with dogs to plan visits, the initiative will help dog owners make the most of their time spent outside with their canine companions as well as enjoying connecting with nature.

As part of the Dogs Welcome project all National Trust places have been assessed for dog friendliness and will be given a special Pawprint rating. This will appear on the National Trust website and in the member handbook in January 2022. 3 Pawprints (Best), 2 Pawprints (Good) and 1 Pawprint (Standard), helping visitors plan great adventures with their canine companions.

Across the National Trust in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, you can expect to see:

• Improvements to access, such as increasing the number of gardens that let you visit with your dog on a lead.
• Increasing the number of places that have dog welcome and orientation information, maps for people visiting with dogs, including suggested walks and more.
• Increasing the provision of dog water stations and dog poo bins.
• Supporting National Trust staff to balance dog access with exceptional nature conservation.
• Working with the Trust’s tenant farmers and dog walking visitors on critical issues like keeping livestock, dogs and their owners safe.

A famous face supporting the Dogs Welcome project is TV presenter and keen dog walker Simon Reeve who has helped create a short film to raise awareness of the project and inspire dog walkers to make the most of the beautiful green spaces we have in the UK.

“As someone who absolutely adores my two dogs, the outdoors, and a wander around a glorious National Trust property, I’m delighted to help unveil the Dogs Welcome Project. I think it’s brilliant that the team at Forthglade and the National Trust are working together to ensure that dogs and their human companions alike are even more welcome at so many of the Trust’s properties, whilst also making sure there’s space for people who may not always want a dog bounding around them."

 

Importantly, my dogs are essential to my mental health, and I always find the simple act of putting one foot in front of another a powerful mental tonic, and my dogs offer a profound psychological support. Whenever I walk with them, I can’t help feeling full of love for my dogs and their close connection to nature.” - Simon Reeve 

The National Trust’s Dog Welcome Project Manager, Ceinwen Paynton says that “Working with Forthglade gives us a great opportunity to focus on our visitors with dogs and make visits even better for them, while balancing that with access for visitors without dogs and nature conservation too.  We recognise that a large proportion of our members are dog owners – over 1.5 million, which is around 30% of our members. Numbers have been increasing over the last two years, as more people have recognised dog walking as a great way to access green spaces , connect with nature and enjoy time spent with our loyal canine companions”.

Ceinwen Paynton’s suggestions on how you can do your bit to help protect the areas cared for by the Trust during dog walks:

• Number one is always ‘bag it and bin it’ – always pick up your poop! Not only is this important so that other visitors avoid a mess but also it can change the nutrient levels in soil, which can actually be bad for what grows there; as well as being horrible for rangers strimming the grass! If you can’t see a bin, please hold onto it until you find one.
• Next is to check whether you are in the right place. Keep an eye out for signs and be especially careful on coastal and cliff top paths. If you are in an area where there is livestock or ground nesting birds, keep your dog on a short lead as wildlife can be easily startled.  A lot of people ask how to best react when near cows. If you are approached by cattle, the safest thing to do is let your dog go and call them back when safe to do so.
• And finally, while we love dogs, not everyone does. That’s why it’s important to make sure your four-legged friend doesn’t run up to other people – especially children.

Devonian dog lovers Forthglade and the National Trust have worked together to ensure sure you and your dog get the most out of the woodlands, fields, parkland, gardens and beaches that the National Trust look after by using the National Trust’s expertise in conservation and welcoming visitors, and Forthglade’s insight and know-how about the needs of dogs and their owners. From improving dog-friendly trails to providing more waste bins and wash down areas, so many steps have been taken to make sure visitors and their pups feel welcome. 

As well as funding from Forthglade to help make these and future developments possible, a minimum of £70,000 will be contributed from the sales of a special co-branded National Trust gourmet meals and treats range, to directly support the Trust’s conservation work.

Learn more about the Dogs Welcome project: here 

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