Owners urged to keep dogs under control after Brent Goose killed

Dog owners in the Channel Islands and elsewhere are being asked to keep their dogs under control after a pet hound killed a Brent Goose on a Jersey beach while it was off the lead last month.

Brent Geese are especially subject to disturbance from dogs (Derek Forshaw).

Birds resting and feeding on beaches can be particularly exposed to disturbance by dogs. John Pinel, Principle Ecologist and Assistant Director of Natural Environment said: "It is really important to ensure that shore birds are left undisturbed while they feed.

"People and their dogs can be very disturbing to birds, the occasional person or dog putting the birds to flight will not cause any long-term harm, what we as responsible dog owners may fail to recognise is that once we have left the beach and returned home, other dog walkers will come along, and this can cause continual, daily disturbance to the birds, potentially leading to starvation and death."

Dog walkers are being reminded of their responsibilities between 1 October and 30 April, during which time dogs are legally allowed to be off the lead on beaches.