We are sorry to read of some disappointment with our Gardens but are always grateful for any feedback. Thank you also for the number of positive comments. Regarding the concerns raised about some of our animals, we wanted to reassure you that our sheep receive excellent care from our Animal Walk team and have access at all times to indoor and outdoor space and appropriate bedding, along with hay and grass upon which to graze. Having a high standard of animal care is a condition of our zoo licence.
Peep, our black alpaca, died last year due to an illness and was treated by our vet. Peep was around 16 years old and had been unwell for a while so please be assured that her death had nothing to do with the winter. These types of alpaca are well adapted to cold weather. We all miss her very much.
Hunting is not permitted in the Gardens, and we have signage to tell visitors with dogs which parts of the Gardens are for off-leash exercise. If you see someone who is not following these guidelines, please do make a member of the Gardens team aware who can address this as it happens.
Have you witnessed any attacks on squirrels at the Horniman or are you aware of any incidents in the gardens?
I agree that it is important for visitors to keep dogs on leads except in the lower field and feel this is a much more suitable location to let dogs off the lead than the play park across the road, which is focused on play facilities for under 10s.
I haven’t visited the Horniman for a few weeks but I suspect that most parks look a little barren at this time of year. We can’t expect spring blooms all year round. And I have nothing but praise for the wonderful community resource and all the people who work so hard to keep it looking great almost all year round.
Indeed. The Horniman has been a life saver in lockdown and I am immensely.grateful for all the work the staff do to keep it such a lovely place for us all to use.
There has been a number of replies here to my initial post mainly exspressing my concerns for the safety and wellbeing of the few beautiful little grey squirrels in the gardens being chased and hunted by loose dogs every day around the entire horniman gardens not only causing stress and injury to the squirrels it causes distress to people with young children frightened by dogs racing up to try and catch a squirrel you are meeting . It’s very disappointing to see the lack of compassion for the squirrels in the public replies, these animals should have right to live freely without persecution and demonisation in a fare and decent society as all lives matter.
I have called the Horniman about the issue of loose dogs last week and will contact you again as invited to do so.
So the matter can be raised at a meeting to find a solution on control of loose dogs as signs are being ignored by a number of dog walkers…
I love the horniman museum and gardens, it is one of the best parks in London! Now with a lot more visitors for the black community events.
Thank you for your kind informative reply about the Animals, Peeps and the sheep at the horniman gardens. I will try let a member of staff know when I see a loose dog hunting the Wildlife.
If you have evidence that the dog owners were actually actively seeking to hunt squirrels with dogs then it’s perfectly possible to report it to the police. And if, in the legislation, the definition of ‘hunting with dogs’ includes a situation in which the owner has no intention of hunting with the dog, but the loose dog happens to chase and catch a squirrel before the owner has a chance to stop it, then you would be able to report that too if you have evidence you can provide.
I don’t walk a dog in london but I walk my family’s dog elsewhere and I do think that in dogs in public places need to be under the control of their owners. If the dog’s recall isn’t 100% not only are they apparently a risk to squirrels but also to other dogs and small children and should probably not be off the lead even if they are in areas where they would be permitted to be so. My father’s dog does not yet have reliable recall and therefore will not be off the lead until he has. I do not want him to become the next Fenton the Deerchaser!
Hey dude don’t have a Pop at me I’m on the squirrels side. Couple of years ago I learnt that my great uncle “squirrel Bob” earned his fortune from “collecting” squirrels tails back in the 1950s. When he died he left his fortune to me ( made on the…back of grey squirrels, tuppence a tail☹️) and ever since I’ve dedicated myself to looking after those furry little dudes… peace out.
Yes I have and I am following the advice given by the horniman museum and gardens in their reply.
I also hope that by raising this issue on se23 forum it will help ensure dog owners to take more care and respect for wildlife and signage throughout the gardens.
Let’s all remember to be courteous to each other and not insult those you don’t. Thank you to those members who have flagged some of the more obvious examples which has hidden them. The writer will be sent a mail asking them to rewrite so they follow our guidelines.
Please hear another positive comment – you continue to beautifully maintain an absolute haven in the Gardens, and I along with countless others think you’ve done an incredible job over what must have been a virtually impossible period this last 18+ months. Thank you to all your staff for the obvious love and care they put into keeping the space so stunning. Daily walks round it kept me sane last year and this.
I’m so sad to hear the Black Alpaca died-they are such beautiful creatures and brought me much joy during the 1st and 2nd lockdowns.
Are they replacing him/her?
