Nearly two-thirds of female dog owners express concerns about walking their dogs at night during winter due to worries about personal safety. A recent study revealed that 61% of women decrease their dog-walking activities in the winter months, citing issues like poorly lit streets, lack of safe walking paths, and fear of encountering drunk or antisocial behavior as primary reasons. The research, conducted by YuMOVE, indicates that dogs are getting up to 30 minutes less walking time daily, equating to a loss of almost 3.5 hours of exercise per week.
Safety apprehensions are particularly high in urban areas like Greater London, where 78% of women have felt uneasy during nighttime walks. Following closely are cities such as Belfast, Brighton, Wales, and the South East, with significant percentages of women expressing similar concerns.
To address these challenges, YuMOVE CEO Fiona Hope and WalkSafe organized the inaugural ‘NightWalkies’ event in Bury St Edmunds. Hope highlighted the disparity in dog-walking habits between genders, emphasizing the importance of creating a safe environment for women to enjoy walking their dogs at night.
The initiative aims to encourage community walks that provide a sense of security for women and ample exercise for their dogs. With 74% of surveyed women expressing interest in organized nighttime events, YuMOVE plans to initiate similar walks across the country.
Hope emphasized the value of NightWalkies in fostering community connections and ensuring dogs receive adequate exercise for their joint health and overall well-being throughout the winter season. To promote accessibility, YuMOVE has developed a downloadable NightWalkies Toolkit in collaboration with WalkSafe, available on the YuMOVE website.
By addressing safety concerns and promoting shared walking activities, NightWalkies seeks to empower women to enjoy evening strolls with their furry companions while prioritizing their physical and mental health.
