Dogs and wildlife

A field of daffodils.

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Dogs

You must ensure that:

  • Each dog has a current annual vaccination for distemper, canine hepatitis, leptospirosis and parvo virus
  • Each dog is properly supervised, is not dangerous and does not cause a nuisance or threat to anyone
  • If our staff are required to visit your accommodation (i.e maintenance) you must take your dog out while these visits take place

Dogs (except assistance dogs) are only allowed in certain indoor areas, please contact Guest Services for more information. Dogs (except assistance dogs) are not permitted in any other accommodation type and on the Land Train (Longleat Forest). They must be kept on a short lead at all times when outside your accommodation and you must ensure they use the designated Dog Exercise Areas. Dogs (except assistance dogs) are not permitted on the Land Train at Longleat Forest.

Please be responsible by cleaning up your dog waste in the bags provided and dispose in the dog waste bins. If we, in our sole and reasonable discretion, consider your dog to be dangerous or to be causing a nuisance, harm or threat to anyone, or likely to do so, we may ask you to remove it from the village (without refund or compensation) or have it removed to kennels at your expense.

No other pets are permitted.

Environment

Please remember that our villages are in a forest setting that is the natural habitat of a variety of native creatures such as snakes, insects, spiders, ants, rodents and ticks. You should note any information and guidance provided in any of our information booklets or notices. Please keep to prepared roads, paths and tracks at all times and treat all property and facilities carefully and appropriately.

Lyme disease and ticks

Ticks are tiny, spider-like creatures found naturally in grass and woodland areas throughout Britain. Lyme disease is an illness caused by a bite from an infected tick.

If you are walking in grassy/woodland areas you can take simple precautions:

  • Keep yourself covered up
  • Keep your shirt tucked in
  • Wear a long sleeved shirt
  • Tuck your trousers in your socks, if possible
  •  Wear shoes, not sandals

The use of a repellent containing DEET will help deter ticks and they are easier to see on light coloured clothes. Check yourself and your children for ticks every day.

If you think you have found a tick on your skin, please arrange for its immediate removal. Contact the First Aid Centre for advice (contact Guest Services or Security out of hours) or contact your GP as soon as possible if you are at home. Not all tick bites lead to Lyme Disease, however, symptoms of Lyme Disease normally start between one week and one month after the tick has attached itself to the skin. It often begins with a rash around the bite and may be accompanied by flu-like symptoms. The illness can be treated with antibiotics and full recovery is normal.

As with any illness, early treatment aids a swift recovery so please contact the First Aid Centre or your GP if you have any concerns.

Local vet information

In the event that your dog becomes unwell, we have provided details for local vets near each of our villages.

Whinfell Forest: 

  • Vets4Pets - Inside Pets at Home, Castle Retail Park, Ullswater Road, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7JQ. Phone: 01768 866540
  • Rowcliffe House Vets Ltd - Crown Square, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 7AB. Phone: 01768 865661

Sherwood Forest:

  • Vets4Pets - 36 Clipstone Road West, Forest Town, Mansfield, NG19 0BU. Phone: 01623 643888
  • Portland House Vets - Rufford Avenue, New Ollerton, Newark, NG22 9PN. Phone: 01623 860138

Elveden Forest:

  • The Old Golfhouse - Veterinary Group - Thetford, Brandon Road, Thetford, IP24 3ND. Phone: 01842 764244
  • Eastgate Vets - 31 Bury Road, Thetford, IP24 3AW. Phone: 01842 753991

Longleat Forest: 

  • Garston Veterinary Group - Ulster Lodge, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 9BG. Phone: 01985 213350
  • Manor Farm Vets Ltd - New Road, Warminster, Wiltshire, BA12 0NS. Phone: 01985 850752

Woburn Forest:

  • Boness Vets - 2 Steppingley Road, Flitwick, Bedfordshire, MK45 1AJ. Phone: 01525 888677
  • Ampthill Veterinary Centre - 2 Church St, Ampthill, Bedford, MK45 2EH. Phone: 01525 582002

Longford Forest: 

There are two local vets in Ballymahon, a 10 minute drive from Center Parcs:

Banned and Restricted dog breeds in Ireland (Longford Forest)

Banned:

  1. XL Bully are not permitted without a Certificate of Exemption issued by your local authority. When on site, the dog must be managed in line with our requirements for restricted dog breeds.

Please see below a list of restricted dog breeds which are subject to the following restrictions:

  • These dogs may only be owned by adults over the age of 18 years
  • The dogs listed need to be muzzled in public
  • These dogs listed must be on a short, less than 2 meters (6.5 feet), lead. The leash must be ‘sufficiently strong’ or it needs to be a chain
  • Dogs must wear a collar at all times with the owners information on it. This information should include owners name & address
  • These dogs can only be led by people over the age of 16.
  1. American Pit Bull Terrier
  2. English Bull Terrier
  3. Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  4. Bull Mastiff
  5. Dobermann Pinscher
  6. Rottweiler
  7. German Shepherd (Alsatian)
  8. Rhodesian Ridgeback
  9. Japanese Akita
  10. Japanese Tosa
  11. Ban dog – “ban-dog” is a cross or mixture of any of the above breeds mentioned or any strain of the above dogs listed.

Snakes

Snakes, including adders, are amongst the varied wildlife found on the villages except Longford Forest. Adders are poisonous but only bite when disturbed. Do not under any circumstances approach them. If you see a snake, do not approach or disturb it. Quietly leave the area and inform Guest Services and the snake will be removed and released in a safer area of the village. Dogs are particularly vulnerable and must be kept on a short lead at all times. If a snake bites you, obtain first aid immediately.

All snakes are legally protected and must not be harmed.