Every year millions of dogs get to stretch their legs and enjoy the wide open spaces and stunning landscapes of the Yorkshire Dales National Park. There’s such great exploring to be done and many dog-friendly establishments to unwind in.
Tips on walking with your dog
- Keep your dog on a lead on public rights of way and in fields where there is livestock present.
- Ground nesting birds are easily disturbed by dogs and fly away leaving the nest cold, vulnerable or abandoned completely. From March to July use a short lead.
- Be prepared for cattle to react to your presence, especially if you have a dog with you. Move quickly and quietly, and if possible walk around the herd. Don’t panic or run. Most cattle will stop before they reach you. If they follow just walk on quietly.
- When walking with dogs in fields with cattle, the advice is to avoid getting between cows and their calves. Keep your dog under close control on a lead but don’t hang onto your dog if you are threatened by cattle – let it go and allow the dog to run to safety. This offers the best chance of a safe outcome to both you and your dog.
- If you feel threatened by animals protecting their territory or young, do not run. Move to the edge of the field and, if possible, find another way round.
- Poo – bag it and bin it! Toxocariasis can be passed onto livestock, dogs, humans and even into the soil.
- Not everyone likes dogs. Please be considerate and keep your dog on a lead when around other people.
- The spectacular limestone scenery includes hazards a dog could fall into such as caves, limestone pavement and sink holes. Please stick to the paths.
- When it gets hot in the summer months consider if you should be taking your dog for longer walks and if you do, try to walk them in the cooler parts of the day. Find out how to take care when exercising your dogs and how to look out for heatstroke on the RSPCA website.
Sheep worrying
All livestock suffers greatly from being attacked or chased by dogs, with farmers suffering the hard financial consequences of lost stock. The NFU reported a 10% increase in sheep worrying incidents in 2025, with livestock fatalities costing the farming community nearly £2m.
A farmer is allowed to kill the dog if it’s worrying their livestock.
As pet ownership increases and more people spend time in the countryside there is the potential for instances of livestock worrying to grow. We want to support the local farming community in preventing that from happening by providing updated guidance to anyone walking a dog in the Yorkshire Dales National Park.
If your dog attacks livestock and livestock is injured, the Police have various powers to prosecute. This power was increased in March 2026 under The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, designed to combat the rising number of dog attacks on farm animals.
Key changes include:
- Definition of ‘worrying’: Physical contact is not required for an offence – ‘worrying’ includes chasing, running at, or causing fear or panic to livestock.
- Definition of ‘livestock’: The law now explicitly includes camelids such as alpacas and llamas.
- Locations: The law now covers incidents occurring on public footpaths, roads, and bridleways – not just within fenced agricultural fields.
- Unlimited fines: The previous maximum fine of £1,000 has been removed. Courts can now impose unlimited fines for livestock worrying.
Dogs in rivers and streams
Dogs in rivers and streams:
There is growing concern that some veterinary treatments for pets may be impacting our rivers and streams. Spot-on flea and tick treatments for pets can contain powerful insecticides such as fipronil or the neonicotinoid imidacloprid. Both are banned in agricultural use but are components of widely available pet veterinary medicines, including the most commonly used dog and cat flea treatments. There is some concern that residues from these pet treatments may be entering and accumulating in rivers and streams. This can happen through a number of pathways, including direct transfer from pets and treatment collars in watercourses, or when household wastewater from bathing treated pets or washing bedding contaminated with residues is discharged into watercourses. The chemicals in these treatments can remain active for up to 90 days and are designed to kill parasitic invertebrates on our pets. However, in watercourses, these chemicals can harm aquatic invertebrates. A healthy population of aquatic invertebrates is important in supporting river health, the fish which feed on these invertebrates, and birds which feed on fish or on emerging insects such as mayfly and dragonflies.
The government has recently announced new plans to address the presence of chemicals from flea and tick treatments in rivers and streams across the UK. The Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority welcomes the proposal for an evidence-based review and will update our advice in accordance with these findings when published. In the meantime, please be aware of the potential transfer routes from our pets into our watercourses. For advice on the active ingredient of specific flea or tick treatments you may use, please ask your vet or retailer. For more information, visit the GOV.UK website.
More details
Watch out for instructional signage on gates and posts, or call into a National Park Visitor Centre for more advice (dogs are welcome).