Waterfowl on the Serpentine outside Serpentine Bar and Kitchen in Hyde Park
Hyde Park

Help The Royal Parks protect waterfowl

The Royal Parks charity is reminding dog owners to keep close control of their pets by lakes to protect waterfowl.

We welcome all visitors and their dogs to enjoy a stroll around the parks, particularly over the busy festive season. But we are concerned that there have been several incidents recently where we have seen dogs chasing or injuring waterfowl, particularly in and around busy park lakes, including St. James’s Park’s lake, the Round Pond in Kensington Gardens and The Serpentine in Hyde Park.

We would like to remind visitors that dogs should always be kept under close control in these areas and should be on leads by the water’s edge, as even the friendliest of dogs may be inclined to give chase to birds.

We would also like to thank those responsible dog walkers who keep their dogs on leads near the water and help protect the parks’ birdlife. If anyone sees a dog dangerously out of control they should call the police on 999.

We ask anyone who sees any injured birds in the Royal parks to report them on 0300 061 2000, with the location, so that our wildlife officers can be alerted. 

To ensure that you and your dog have a safe and pleasant visit to the Royal parks this Christmas, please see further information on our web site.

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