Cats on Canals
Cats have a rich history of living and thriving on boats. Once used as chief mousers and for boosting sailors morale during wartime, today they are beloved companions for many who call our canal network home.
The Inland Waterways Association (IWA) say there are about 80,000 powered boats across the waterways of England, Scotland and Wales, with a record 15% rise in numbers since the pandemic began. Rising house prices and the cost of living crisis are making living on boat more appealing to many, and it's suspected the rise in ownership will continue to climb. Pets have also become more popular, with a 2021 report finding that more than three million UK households acquired a new pet during the pandemic. Although there are no official figures on how many dogs and cats live on boats, it would appear it's becoming increasingly more common.
Cats being on or close to a towpath might not just be because they live on a boat either. Canal-side properties are becoming increasingly desirable with LSE finding buyers can now expect to pay around 3-4 per cent more for a property within 100 metres of a canal. Canal-side locations are also becoming increasingly attractive for developers, with a 5.9% increase in new-build sales by canals relative to elsewhere. CyclingUK also points out that 50% of the British population lives within five miles of a towpath/river. Although there are no official numbers available, many nearby homes will have pets and children close to the towpath, and the increases stated by LSE highlight how current numbers are only likely to increase.
Vehicle Accidents
Canal & River Trust (CRT) is the organisation that cares for over 2000 miles of towpaths in England and Wales. These public spaces are open to all with over 9 million people visiting the waterways in a typical two week period. CRT state that 1.7 million of visiting people were cyclists and approximately 6.5 million were pedestrians in 2020.
E-Scooters are prohibited under the Trust’s General Canal Bye-Laws, as are any vehicles are that have not been given permission by them. They do give permission for all bicycles and vehicles that are mobility aids to be used on towpaths, as well as some operational vehicles, such as sit-on mowers on an individual basis to complete vital operational and engineering works. Motorbikes not allowed on towpaths yet some areas have removed motorbike barriers from towpath entrances as they cause problems to mobility scooters. Towpath users who see a motorbike on a towpath must report it to the police on 101.
Bicycles are considered vehicles under British law but, because they are not mechanically propelled vehicles, some but not all road law applies to them. You could be pulled over for a related "Not Paying Due Care and Attention" offence for using a mobile phone, and receive a fine for being unfit to ride through drink or drugs, for example. Cyclists can also be causing an offence when "cycling furiously" under the 1847 Town Police Clauses Act, and the crime of "Wanton and Furious Driving" also applies to cyclists, landing them up to two years in prison for causing bodily harm as a result of this offence. This applies on canal towpaths that are managed as shared spaces with a pedestrian priority.
Rora had only been exploring outside her home on the towpath for a short while before a stranger frantically knocked on the door of the boat where she lived asking her owner for helping with a dying cat that had been hit by a vehicle. Her home was moored on a peaceful path by woodland. She should have been free to walk across the towpath safely and free from harm. You can read Rora's story HERE. Rora is not the only cat to have been involved in a hit and run by a cyclist by her moored boat in East London.
Water-birds are also often found with injuries consistent with collisions with bikes/scooters. Duck lanes have been introduced to some towpaths in London, Manchester and Birmingham, which are pathways with bike-lane like markings for ducks as part of the 'Share the Space, Drop Your Pace' initiative. The duck lanes are designed to encourage walkers, runners and cyclists to remember the birds and other animals who live on canals.
It's not just cats, ducks and wildlife that have been affected by speeding cyclists on towpaths. Cyclists have also collided with dogs, and other people .... including each other! Given speed and safety has become a concern, a warning device linked to a speed tracker is being trialled on canal towpaths in some areas to encourage cyclists to slow down to 8mph.
If you do hit a cat on a canal, even if the cat appears to be OK, please try to locate an owner if there are nearby boats or houses where the cat could live. Given the location and your resources, it might not be possible to take an injured animal to a veterinarian or local wildlife rehabilitator. The police advise animals injured or in distress found on canals should be reported to the RSPCA 24-hour emergency injured animal line on: 0300 1234 999.
Dog Attacks
Canals are a canine’s best friend for those wanting to stretch all 4 legs, and it's a peaceful escape from the hustle and bustle of the city for their owners. CRT advise dogs be kept on leads on canals, especially by busy areas such as locks, bridges and near ducks. There is no blanket law requiring dogs to be kept on a lead in all public spaces, but there are a series of orders that mean you have to leash your dog in certain places, and laws can differ in some areas. Local authorities have introduced numerous Public Spaces Protection Orders ordering dogs to be walked on leads in some areas, or even excluded from them entirely in some cases. There are by-laws in some areas restricting free roaming dogs on canals, and owners can be issued fines or fixed penalty notices if they fail to comply.
A horrific incident happened in March this year in South Staffordshire. Tabetha had lived the majority of her life enjoying canal-boat rides across the country's waterways. While her boat was moored, a dog jumped on her boat, took her by the teeth, and ran off with her. It was tragically too late for her by the time her owners reached her.
Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, it is illegal for a dog to be out of control in both private and public places. A dog is considered dangerously out of control if it injures someone, or even just makes someone worried that it might injure them. This applies also to attacks on another animal, including if the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured if they tried to stop your dog attacking their animal. Owners could face fines, compensation costs, receive a prison sentence, be banned from having dogs in the future, and/or even have the dog destroyed. Laws are similar in Scotland and Northern Ireland. To try and protect other animals from further injury by a dog, police can also issue a Community Protection Notice warning to owners. Under the Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953, dogs must also not chase or worry livestock and farmers are legally allowed to go as far as to shoot the dog if they do so.
Most dog owners are responsible, and most dogs well behaved. Dogs should have fair access to public spaces and plenty of opportunity to exercise on and off lead but, with strict rules in place, we are sure no dog owner wants to be put in a situation where they risk prosecution, or potentially lose their beloved dog, so it could be wise to consider preventative measures in certain spaces where dogs are permitted to be off the lead. CRT recommend keeping dogs on a lead around busy spots like locks and bridges, but it is also worth considering keeping your dog close and being alert on the approach to moored boats and other homes that fall adjacent to the towpath. Many cases we have read about, and of people we have spoken to directly, have all stated that they 'just didn't expect a cat to be there'. With this in mind, and believing it to be a genuine response following the many tragic and unfortunate incidents, we hope simply highlighting the real possibility of cats being in these areas will promote caution with dog walkers.
Muzzling a dog in public could prevent you from potential troubles but could also prevent dogs chewing strange things, garbage or even poison, on their walks. There are dogs in the UK that are required to wear a muzzle in public because of their breed, but some ex-racing greyhounds wear muzzles because they are trained to chase little furry things, or because vets and trainers recommend it when they are learning not to eat potentially dangerous objects. Some dogs even wear one because they need space and people tend to give dogs a wide berth if they’re wearing a muzzle. Dogs Trust have some good advice on choosing a muzzle for your dog, and how to make them enjoyable and comfortable for the dog.
We understand feelings are very high on both sides of this argument, but for the safety of other people, animals, as well as the dogs themselves, it is only right, and an owner’s legal responsibility, to ensure that their dog is under control at all times in a public place. Dogs Trust have guides for being able to get your dog to come back to you when you call and, should your dog be unable to resist certain distractions such as chasing smaller animals, there are training techniques and impulse control training, or find your local dog trainer here.
What can boaters and pedestrians do?
There are plenty of articles on how to help cats settle into their new life style, catify your narrow boat, and see them thrive, but not really anything about the dangers posed by dogs and cyclists outside the boat, except the many harrowing personal accounts of cats being injured, or worse, following incidents. Some have taken to raising their own awareness for their cats safety, such as homemade signs to warn dog walkers and cyclists that there are cats on an upcoming moored boat (above) so they can slow down or prepare to have their dog under control.
The emergency services should be called in the case of emergencies, using the What 3 Words app to pinpoint your position if you are unsure of exactly where you are. Canal River Trust (CRT) state that all other accidents, incidents and near misses should be reported to them. There is more information on the ways you can do this HERE. There is also a Facebook group currently discussing hot spots, and gathering constructive suggestions on speed calming ideas, to put forward to CRT. You can also speak to your local police force about your concerns and incidents.
Councils in England, Wales and Northern Ireland can introduce restrictions on dogs in public spaces, known as Public Space Protection Orders in England and Wales, and Dog Control Orders in Northern Ireland. These orders can ban dogs from an area altogether, require all dogs to be on leads, or even limit the number of dogs allowed to be walked. An example of a Public Space Protection Order in place is Stroud where it is prohibited for a dog to be off the lead on the districts towpaths. Unfortunately, a minority can spoil things for the responsible majority, but you can speak to your local council about your concerns. To balance this, Dogs Trust offer a tool kit to help responsible owners be represented in these Public Space Protection Order proposals consultations.
Some question the effectiveness of CRTs 'Stay Kind, Slow Down' campaign, but some are hopeful at the new speed devices being trailed on some towpaths to encourage riders to stay below 8mph, an issue Narrow Boat World has long been demanding. Many people support cycling as a greener and healthier form of transport, but there is increasing public concern at the lack of safe cycle routes so cyclists are sometimes using paths that are not wide enough to safely allow enough room for pedestrians. Local by-laws are in place for cyclists in some areas, as they are for dogs off the leads, but many have recently been relaxed due to preferring to promote safe cycling, rather than penalising cyclists. Some councils have consulted on towpath concerns from residents, finding certain surfaces encouraged speed yet other types of surfaces acted as a traffic calming measure. Although there seems to be little appetite to completely ban bikes from towpaths, it is still worth speaking to your local council about potential speed calming measures, as well as the creation and promotion of additional cycle routes.
Our canals are beauty spots that all should be able to peacefully and safely enjoy, including responsible cyclists and dog walkers. Sadly, as with most things, a minority ruin it for the rest of us. This article aims not to attack responsible cyclists or dog walkers, but to help raise awareness of vulnerable towpath users and highlight the avenues responsible users can take to report those failing to adopt safe usage of our waterways and green spaces.
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