The Crown Estate will require professional dog walkers to obtain a permit to use their land from the end of March, as well as limiting the number of dogs a person can walk at a time to four.
This will cover Royal estates including Windsor Great Park, Swinley Forest, and Buttersteep Forest.
Long-time dog walker Sarah Stanford from Datchet, near Windsor, argues that walking six dogs simultaneously is essential for her business’s financial survival.
She contends that the sudden introduction of an expensive new licence, coupled with insufficient notice to adjust financially, is unreasonable.
The dog walker, who has 18 years’ experience, says she is insured to walk six dogs – as are many of her colleagues.
Facing the imminent implementation of the new rules, she’s concerned about the necessary overhaul of her business model, fearing increased costs will drive customers away and potentially devastate her livelihood.
Sarah lamented: “To make any of our businesses viable, we need to be able to walk six dogs.
“We’re all insured to walk six – and insurers are the pickiest people in the world.
“So I’m really not sure where the number four has come from. ” “There was no proper consultation about this and it means that I’ll have to completely change my business model.
“Costs will have to be passed on to my customers and I worry I’ll lose business as a result.
“It really is near catastrophic.”
Last week’s announcement has set the professional dog walking community abuzz, with new regulations requiring permits for those wishing to continue their services in Windsor Great Park, Swinley Forest, and Buttersteep Forest from March 31. The permit fees are steep: £500 for Windsor Great Park and a whopping £600 for Swinley Forest and Buttersteep Forest.
The Windsor Estate justifies these costs as measures to “manage and regulate the number of professional dog walkers who operate on the Estate”, enhance the overall visitor experience, and protect the delicate ecosystems within these areas. Additionally, starting February 25, dog walkers must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct, which includes limiting walks to no more than four dogs at a time, keeping dogs leashed when necessary, and staying on main paths to prevent wildlife disturbances.
The Crown Estate’s decision is backed by guidance from several animal welfare organisations, including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, The Kennel Club, and The Dogs Trust, all supporting the four-dog limit as a balance between the needs of dog walkers, public safety, and wildlife conservation. Even the RSPCA endorses walking no more than four dogs simultaneously.
However, not everyone agrees with these restrictions. Sarah finds the four-dog limit unreasonable: “We’re not angling to walk 12 dogs at a time. That’s outrageous.
“But I do walk six and I’m insured to do that.
“We are professionals and personally, I don’t walk dogs that don’t have good recall.
“I always do a trial walk with an owner to check a dog before taking them on as a client.
“And honestly, I don’t feel there’s much of a difference between six and four dogs.”
Sarah expressed her frustration at the notion that professional dog walkers are responsible for damaging wildlife and their habitats. She argued: “We all agree that things need tightening up. It’s chaos at the weekend.
“But it feels as if we are being blamed for the situation.
“How do they know it’s professional dog walkers who are damaging things, and not people just walking their dogs?
“We’re just an easy target. It feels like they’re using us as whipping boys.”
Sarah revealed that some of her colleagues have already decided to leave the profession after recent developments, and she fears for her own business’s survival.
She said: “Some have already thrown the towel in as their businesses just won’t be viable.
“And I’m going to have to up my prices. But with customers already struggling in the current economic climate – I may be put out of business.
“You already don’t make much as a dog walker. It’s not a money-spinning business.
“I just wish they could have consulted us and taken into account how we operate.
“No one seems to have thought this through.”
A Crown Estate spokesperson explained to the BBC: “The [professional] permit will ensure that all professional dog walkers are compliant with health and safety standards for their dogs and staff, that they are fully insured, that their customers are protected while their dogs are walked in Windsor Great Park and Forest, and that our other visitors are comfortable.
“While we are supportive of local businesses, we must prioritise the safety and security of our visitors to Windsor Great Park, and protect both the environment and local wildlife.”