Should dog walkers be limited to the number of dogs they walk?

There is currently no national licensing scheme for how many dogs you are allowed to walk at any time.

The Control of Dogs Act 2010 permitted local authorities to set their own maximum number and restrictions, meaning that the number varies by council area.

Professional dog walking is becoming an increasingly common service. Post lockdown which led to an increase in dog ownership, the demand for dog walkers has increased.

Many people seem to feel that just loving dogs is enough of a qualification to take large numbers of them on a walk, whether the dogs are familiar with each other or not. Still, other dog walkers may be putting profits over safety. Obviously, with more dogs being walked at once, more money can be made.

Last week, a dog walker who was tragically mauled to death by one of the dogs she was walking was described as “agitated and struggling to control” the pets in her care in the days before her death.

Dogs are pack animals, and dog dynamics can be very unpredictable.

Should there be limits on the number of dogs that can be walked by a single person simultaneously in places such as dog parks and other public areas? Is it time for a National Licencing Scheme?