Emergency & other contacts
Animals can roam freely over our extensive commons. Please stick to the speed limits! You must STOP and report any car accident with these grazing animals to the police.
For injured animals on the cliffs or downs, call:
- RSPCA Emergency number: 0300 1234 999
- National Trust: 01792 390636
- National Coastwatch Institute Worms Head: 01792 390167
- For distressed or injured marine animals call British Divers Marine Life Rescue: 01825 765546
- Click here to view the BDMLR poster about what to do if you find a stranded marine animal.
- To report a stranded whale or dolphin/porpoise, phone the Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme (CSIP) hotline at 0800 652 0333. Visit https://www.gov.uk/report-stranded-whale-dolphin for more details.
Gower Bird Hospital is a registered veterinary practice and cares for sick, injured and orphaned wild birds and animals with the sole intention of returning them to the wild.
Tel: 01792 371630
Dead wild birds
National Trust Gower advise: “Because of the risks from Avian flu, do not touch dead birds, and keep dogs away. If you find any dead birds on land cared for by us, please report by emailing our ranger team at gower.admin@nationaltrust.org.uk.
Elsewhere report one or more dead birds of prey, gulls or waterbirds in the same place, 5 or more of any species in the same place, to Defra at www.gov.uk/guidance/report-dead-wild-birds or call the helpline on 03459 33 55 77. Please provide a grid reference or a What3words location.”
Report an environmental incident to Natural Resources Wales: 0300 065 3000 (24 hours a day). Click the link above for information on the sorts of incidents they deal with and what not to report.
View this poster on how to spot different types of water pollution.
The Countryside Code
See the Dog Walkers Code
Follow the Dog Walkers Code for safe and happy walks with your dog, and to avoid causing problems for others:
1. Ensure your dog is under effective control, which means:
- you have a short lead with you and use it when needed (e.g. around livestock, near cliff edges or where signage requests it)
- you do not let your dog off the lead unless you keep it in sight and close enough to come back to you on command
2. Prevent your dog from approaching horse riders, cyclists, or other people and their dogs uninvited.
3. Keep your dog with you on paths or access land and don’t let it stray into crops including fields of grass, fruit and vegetables.
4. Never let your dog worry or chase wildlife or livestock. Follow advice on local signs to reduce disturbance to plants and animals.
5. Stay SAFE around farm animals and horses:
- S – stop, look and listen before entering a field; be aware of any animals present
- A – always keep your dog on a short lead
- F – find the safest route around animals, giving them plenty of space and using paths or access land where possible
- E – exit the area calmly and quickly if threatened, releasing your dog to make it easier for you both to reach safety
6. Always bag and bin your dog’s poo wherever you are. You can use any public waste bin or your bin at home.
7. Never leave bags of dog poo lying around, even if you intend to pick them up later. Containers and deodorised bags can make them easier to carry.
8. Ensure your details are on your dog’s collar and it is microchipped, so you can be reunited quickly if it is lost.
9. Keep your dog’s vaccinations and worming up to date. Ask your vet for more information.
10. Contact your local authority, or look out for signs, to get more information about what to do and where to go in your area.
National Trust
As well as owning the car park, shop and the Old Rectory, the National Trust is a major landowner across the Rhossili community. Through their work here, they have implemented wildlife-friendly farming practices to promote biodiversity and to provide food for pollinators and over-wintering birds. Their Hwb blog series, National Trust Seasons provides regular updates on their work in Rhossili. Read them here.
Gower Commons
The Gower Commoners Association plays an important role in the stewardship of the Gower commons. Watch this excellent video to learn all about it. It stars our very own Nicola Rees!
Also see Gower Society page.