Walking Dogs on the Burrows

Dog walkers are welcome on Northam Burrows but please give consideration to other visitors and take care not to disturb wildlife as well as the grazing animals. Below are a number of rules about dogs which must be observed.

On 12 April 2022 Torridge District Council introduced a new Dog Control Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) that replaces the previous PSPO dated 23 April 2018

A Dog Control PSPO has been introduced under the Anti social Behaviour Crime & Policing Act 2014 to provide a more flexible and effective system for controlling dogs within Torridge. This replaces our Dog Control Orders introduced in 2013

This Dog Control PSPO gives us control in relation to:

• A person responsible for any dog must pick up any faeces left by the dog at all times

• A person responsible for any dog must keep it on a lead in certain areas.

• A person responsible for any dog must put the dog on a lead when directed to do so by an Authorised Officer of the council, this applies throughout Torridge;

• A person responsible for any dog must not enter land from which dogs are excluded.

The order applies all year round and can be read here: Public Spaces Protection Order 2022 - dogs (PDF, 1 MB)

A person guilty of any offence under these Orders is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding levels 2 or 3 on the standard scales or a fixed penalty notice of £100. If a Fixed Penalty Notice is not paid, you may be prosecuted for the offence.

Northam Town Council (the trustees of the grazing common on Northam Burrows) have produced an information leaflet about walking dogs in the park. This is a helpful guide and can be viewed here:Northam Town Council Information Leaflet (PDF, 2 MB)

Walking dogs on Westward Ho! beach 

A dog restrction operates between the 1st of May and the 30th of September in the blue flag area of the beach south of Sandymere bridge. During this period all dogs on the beach must remain north of this access point. The Dog Control PSPO also applies in this area. Beach zones are identified on the map here: Beach Map (PDF, 215 KB)