Find trusted dog walkers in Newham

Two local rules make a real difference to dog walking in Newham. A walker can't take out more than four dogs at once, and West Ham Park has set hours when dogs have to stay on the lead.

Parks and riverside walks

In West Ham Park, dogs can only come off the lead early in the day or later on. Between 11am and 5pm from April to September, and 11am to 2pm the rest of the year, they need to be on a lead. If your walker uses the park, it's worth asking what time they go. The Ornamental Gardens are on-lead at any hour, and dogs aren't allowed in the playgrounds, tennis courts, bandstand or wildlife gardens.

In the south of the borough, Beckton District Park is split into north and south sections, with a lake and some areas set aside for nature conservation, where dogs aren't allowed. The Capital Ring runs through the park and on along the Royal Albert Dock and the Thames to North Woolwich.

Along the river in Silvertown, dogs aren't allowed in Thames Barrier Park's sunken garden or in the play and sports areas at Thames Barrier Park and Lyle Park.

Around Stratford, Newham's dog order requires dogs to be on a lead in the Newham part of the Olympic Park. The park's off-lead field, Hopkin's Field, is on the Hackney side and is sometimes closed for other uses. The park asks for dogs to be kept away from the water when there's blue-green algae.

What the council's rules mean for a walk

Newham's dog order runs until February 2028 and applies to everyone, professional walkers included. The limit is four dogs, so a walker taking out a larger group in a public place in Newham would be outside the rules.

Dogs must be on a lead on roads, pavements, footpaths, grass verges and in car parks, so the walk to and from the park is on-lead. They aren't allowed in play areas, sports areas, games courts, nature conservation areas or planted beds, including on housing estates, and a council officer or the police can ask for a lead anywhere if it's needed to stop a dog causing a nuisance or disturbing other people. Leaving dog mess can mean a £100 fixed penalty, or a fine of up to £1,000 if it goes to court.

Choosing a walker

When choosing a walker, ask how many dogs they usually walk together, which parks they use, and how they fit walks around the lead rules.