Am I correct in thinking that it is illegal to walk a dog off lead near any public roads?

Yes it is.

'Near' is the wrong word. The law says:

(1) A person who causes or permits a dog to be on a designated road without the dog being held on a lead is guilty of an offence.
(2) In this section "designated road" means a length of road specified by an order in that behalf of the local authority in whose area the length of road is situated.

This includes the pavement alongside the road itself.

Does this include country lanes?

Basically, if cars are allowed to drive on it, it's a road, so yes. Dog on a lead.

Thankyou, I was just going to reply on a motorbike forum as the poor chap has been knocked off his bike more than once by a family that walk their small breed dog off lead and it then runs out in front of him. Was just going to suggest reporting them as I thought it was illegal, but not sure if anything can be done?

> Basically, if cars are allowed to drive on it, it's a road, so yes. Dog on a lead.

Thanks.

I live on a country lane which in turn leads to a smaller country lane. It's a horseshoe shape 2 miles round, leads of my lane at the bottom and comes around to exit at top. There is only 1 house and 1 farm that come off that lane and I walk my dogs (on lead) of my lane and let them run free on the other lane as it is unusual to encounter traffic either from the farm or the house (I know the occupants any way) If a vehicle appears I have enough time to recall the dogs and put them on a lead as you can see a long way in either direction and any vehicles are going slow, but that said, if my dogs were loose and caused a vehicle/driver etc to encounter a problem/accident I would expect to take full responsibility no matter wether it was legal or not to let them run free. Same conditions apply to roads, parks, beaches etc. Off lead dog causes a problem then that is MY problem.

Hi there

It may be illegal but its not something the police would get involved in, same as a dog should always wear a tag with his address and tel no on, if you reported it to the police you would be directed to the dog warden for them to deal.
So you may wish to contact your local dog warden and advise them of the problem and see if they will have a word with the owner.

Very irresponsible for the owner to let his dog off on a lane anyway (unless its a very quiet lane that is seldom used) I would have thought much more dangerous for the dog than the driver/cyclist

Beth

Equally dangerous I think.  I met a lady who had broken several bones in a bicycling collision with a dog.  Her pelvis was pinned together.  Up till then she had been ranked as one of the top citizen racers in her age class (+40) in cross country skiing.  Imagine the lawsuit if the dog owner did not have insurance.  I don't remember what happened to the dog.  Another time a fellow sustained only cuts and scratches to himself and his shiny new motorcycle when he skidded and fell while trying to avoid a Saint Bernard.  The dog escaped without being hit at all.

"It may be illegal but its not something the police would get involved in"

Certainly isn't.  A large cross, off lead, went for my dog as two officers of the law walked past.  Owner chatting away in someone's garden, doing nothing to help.  I asked the police if it wasn't an offence to have a dog running loose and out of control and they said it was an offence but not a crime!  Meaning "we're not doing anything about it!  Huh.  Then the dog dumped on the pavement - which they also ignored.  What's the point of having laws?

CG

Hi Unfortunately Police Forces are told what is a priority by the Government and at the moment all that matters is PC! 
If you should an un PC name at someone you will get the blues and twos dashing out to arrest you like its the crime of the century whilst a little old lady walking her yorkie along gets savaged by a dog and dies is ignored!

Priorities totally wrong!  Its all gone mad in my opinion 

I agree that the police are unlikely to act, but if the law was broken, then the dog owners may be liable to private prosecution for damages in the event of injury or damage to the bike. It could be the biker could sue the dog owner, particularly if the dog is insured.