Why do people walk their dog where the wild things are? A qualitative content analysis from an urban nature reserve

Abstract

Abstract Domestic dogs can have devastating impacts on threatened wildlife, but limiting their damage is challenging because it relies on changing the behaviour of people who bring dogs into natural areas and allow them to romp unrestrained. Our study addressed the need to understand people and their behaviour when walking a dog on versus off‐leash in nature reserves protecting wildlife species such as endangered marti (bandicoot; Isoodon obesulus) in an Australian biodiversity hotspot. This research was Step 1 (Selecting behaviours) of community‐based social marketing to activate dog control behaviours that benefit dogs, people and wildlife in nature reserves. We investigated the specific target audience and behaviours through semi‐structured interviews of dog walkers within a nature reserve where dogs are legally required to be on lead, qualitative content analyses of the interview transcripts, and review of motivations and underlying values identified from this and past studies. Our results indicate that personal motivations, the natural atmosphere and/or proximity to home, were the strongest drivers for dog walkers in visiting the reserve. Most people keep their dog on the lead at least some of the time, mainly for their dog's safety and to align with social norms. Our findings provide insight into people's behaviours that are strongly motivated by social norms, rather than wildlife protection, in respecting dog control regulations within nature reserves. Synthesis and applications. Land managers can use our framework to identify motivations and values among local dog walkers who keep their dog on lead. Policymakers can use our findings to better understand how community‐based social marketing can help understand dog walkers and explore the links between norms and behaviour as a powerful policy lever for people who want to walk their dog and protect wildlife in nature reserves. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.