Staff at the Rungstedlund bird reserve in North Zealand say loose dogs disturb the birdlife every day, despite clear signs requiring dogs to be kept on a leash.
DR reports that the site, which also houses author Karen Blixen’s former home, has a large bird reserve where off-leash dogs are not permitted. Signs are placed in several spots in the park, but staff encounter dogs running free on a daily basis.
Anne-Mette Høeg Andersen, biologist and nature interpreter at the reserve, told DR that birds perceive dogs as predators. Stressed birds may flee the area, or lack the energy to breed and find food for their chicks.
According to Andersen, not all owners respond well when asked to use a leash. She said some become offended or angry and scold staff, while others leash the dog briefly and release it again once staff are out of sight.
Sjællandske Nyheder, which reported the museum’s public appeal to dog owners, describes the behavior as a lack of respect for birdlife. The outlet adds that some owners insist their dog does nothing wrong and let it run loose anyway.
One local resident, Frederikke Langkjær, walks in the park with her daughter Frida and their dog Tulle. She had forgotten the leash during a morning walk and improvised with a pair of glitter tights, telling DR that owners of a dog that size carry a responsibility to keep it well trained.
Langkjær said she respects the park’s rules and that the birds must be protected. She prefers walking Tulle without a leash, so she plans to leave the dog behind on her next visit to the reserve.
Not only a problem at Rungstedlund
Stella Blichfeldt, a nature guide at the Danish Nature Agency, Naturstyrelsen, said the agency knows of many cases where owners leave the leash behind. Per Blichfeldt, staff regularly meet people who are tempted to let dogs run free, and even a dog’s scent trail can stress wildlife.
Naturstyrelsen’s guidance, published in 2023, states that dogs must generally be on a leash in forests. Dogs may run freely in designated dog forests, provided the owner has full control of the animal.
The agency has also designated fenced areas and dog forests in North Zealand where dogs may be walked off-leash. Outside those zones, it says dogs must be kept under control to avoid disturbing wildlife.
An agency figure from 2021 put the number of dog forests on state land at more than 200. DR notes that people who want to explore nature in Denmark with an off-leash dog can find these areas on udinaturen.dk.
