For the attention of dog owners. We have been made aware that two cases of Alabama Rot, a disease that affects dogs, are suspected to have been traced to the local forest area. Alabama Rot is believed to be spread in damp and muddy conditions, and sadly two dogs who visited the forest over the 1^st-2^nd June contracted the illness and have unfortunately passed away

This is of course upsetting news, our sympathies are with the owners of the dogs, and we wanted to share this important update with other local dog owners so you are all able to remain vigilant in keeping an eye out for any symptoms with your own dogs if you have been in the area, and easily access the advice being provided here. If you are planning on visiting the forest with your dogs soon, please consider washing your dogs after their walk, especially their paws and lower legs. You can use the QR codes on the poster here for more information.

There have not been any confirmed cases at The Walled Garden. We held our Dog Show this past Sunday 9^th June, and many of you came by for a brilliant day, which we are thankful for. If you visited the forest on the same day, please consider checking your dog for any symptoms. We were not aware of any cases before the event.

This news should not discourage you from enjoying the local countryside or visiting the area with your dogs. As stated by the RSPCA: “The number of cases reported in the UK is extremely low, so there’s little reason to be worried. Thousands of dogs are walked in the countryside every day, and it’s important to remember that only a very small number of dogs have been affected. The threat is very low”. Nobody is being instructed to stay at home or not walk their dogs. You just may wish to consider avoiding the wet and muddy areas, and please consider washing them afterwards.

We will have more to share about the dog show at a later date. For now, please spread the information to anyone who may find it useful. Thank you.

The Walled Garden team.