Sign about dog walking and COVID-19 restrictions, April 2020

Laminated sign produced and displayed by Babraham Parish Council, Cambridgeshire, England carrying information about the legal situation around driving to a location to exercise a dog during the first UK lockdown in the COVID-19 pandemic, 2020

On 23 March 2020, the UK went into lockdown to limit the spread of COVID-19. Under these restrictions, there were a very limited number of reasons why people could leave the house, including getting food and for one form of exercise a day. However, there was a lack of clarity about exactly what was and was not allowed within the regulations. As this sign shows, there was confusion about whether people could travel for their one form of exercise a day or if it had to be done locally. Different areas applied the guidance differently, in part because there was a gap between the legal restrictions and the stricter government guidance.