Safety signs have been launched in the north-east in an attempt to curb clashes between dogs and horses in forests.
An increase in the amount of incidents between animals in the area has been reported by The British Horse society in the last year.
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Now the group has teamed up with the police, Forest Enterprise Scotland (FES) and the Kennel Club in an attempt to encourage more respect and awareness of the different users of the woods.
Yesterday, FES launched an initiative at Roseisle Forest, near Elgin, to provide information to riders and dog walkers to be more aware of the other’s needs.
The move follows an incident last year where a horse was killed in the area after being hit by a car after it bolted after being chased by a dog.
Justin Livesey, visitor services manager for FES, said: “Everyone needs to be aware of the variety of pursuits that they might encounter in our woodlands but they also need to be mindful of their own responsibilities to other visitors.
“This is particularly true for dog and horse owners who will know that, all animals can be unpredictable at times and should always be kept under control. We have already had one tragic accident and that is one too many.”
Concerns have been raised about misunderstanding when dogs and horses encounter each other for the first time – which could lead to the dog advancing to investigate while horses retreat, potentially leading to a chase.
Signs, which will be used across the country, advise pet owners to keep control of their four-legged companions while riders have been urged to slow down when passing dogs and walkers.
Julie Hanna, British Horse Society regional manager for Scotland, said: “There’s been quite a few dog attacks, there are probably more that haven’t been reported. It’s increased in Moray in the last year.
“There really just needs to be some education to show the responsibilities that everyone who uses the forests have.”
Caroline Kisko, secretary of the Kennel Club, added: “Walkers with dogs can help avoid potentially fatal accidents by always staying in sight when a horse approaches as it’s more likely to panic if it first sees it at close quarters.”
