Rishi Sunak's dog spotted roaming free off lead in Hyde Park

In the dog house? Rishi Sunak’s Labrador Nova is spotted roaming free in Hyde Park while PM walks with family where dogs must be kept on lead

• Rishi Sunak has been spotted walking with his dog off the lead in a London Park
• The Met said his family was ‘reminded of the rules’ about keeping dogs on a lead 

Rishi Sunak’s family was ‘reminded of the rules’ around walking a dog on a lead when in Hyde Park, the Metropolitan Police said.

It comes after a video was shared on the social media website TikTok appearing to show the Prime Minister and his family allowing their pet dog to roam freely while in Hyde Park.

The video focuses on a notice board saying ‘Dogs must be kept on leads’ before showing Mr Sunak and what appears to be his wife putting the dog on a leash.

A Met spokesman said: ‘We are aware of a video showing a dog being walked off the lead in Hyde Park.

‘An officer, who was present at the time, spoke to a woman and reminded her of the rules. The dog was put back on the lead.’ 

A video of Rishi Sunak walking in a London park with his family last weekend was shared online 

The family’s dog, Nova can be seen wandering the park off the lead despite rules against dogs disturbing wildlife 

It comes less than two months after the Prime Minister was fined by Lancashire Police for not wearing a seatbelt as he filmed a social media video in the back of a moving car. 

Rishi Sunak was spotted with his dog roaming free in a London Park, despite rules warning walkers to keep their pets on a lead to stop them disturbing wildlife. 

The Prime Minister took his dog Nova for a walk in the park with wife Akshata Murthy and one of their two daughters on Saturday afternoon.

The family’s two year-old dog was spotted wandering freely next to a lake, and was filmed scattering birds.

Mr Sunak, 42, can be seen the background holding a hot drink and looking away.

Dogs must be kept on leads near wildlife and next to water, according to Royal Parks. 

It is an offence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to disturb wildlife.

An onlooker said: ‘Rishi Sunak and his family were walking their dog in [the] park.

‘I was just outside [a] café with my friends and I was patting this dog without any idea Rishi Sunak was there at first.

‘I was stroking his dog without knowing it was his dog for ages.

‘Then I look up and the dog is running towards Rishi.

‘He was on a walk with his wife and daughter and the dog.

‘There were security officers with them following quite closely.’

She added: ‘There was a large clear sign saying that all dogs must be kept on a lead because of the lake but Rishi’s dog was not on a lead.

‘It was sort of running about, like barking at a few of the birds and stuff.’

A man with the group, thought to be part of Mr Sunak’s security team, ushered the dog away as it began to scatter birds next to the lake 

Mr Sunak and his wife were then spotted putting the dog back on its lead and walking away 

The Prime Minister was also spotted in a nearby café, but appeared to go unnoticed by members of the public 

Mr Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty in Number 10 in October with Nova, who they bought last summer

The then-Chancellor welcomed Labrador Nova into his family last June, at eight weeks old. In a social media post, he said: ‘Meet Nova’

‘I thought it would be funny to film it.

‘One of the security guards tried to get the dog back.

‘Rishi had to get involved and managed to grab the dog and his wife put it on the lead.’

The Royal Parks website says: ‘Dogs are welcome in all the Royal Parks although there are some places where they are not allowed or must be kept on a lead.

‘These are clearly indicated within each park and are usually ecologically sensitive sites, deer parks, children’s play areas, restaurants, cafes and some sports areas.

‘When walking your dog in the Royal Parks please respect the wildlife as well as the other park users by keeping your dog under control.

‘Ground nesting birds are particularly sensitive to disturbance by dogs and people. Please observe the warning signs displayed during the nesting season.’

It states that in all parks dogs must be kept on leads anywhere that is ‘near roadways’ or ‘near water.’

In January, Mr Sunak was fined for not wearing a seatbelt in a moving car.

Lancashire Police issued a fixed penalty notice after a social media video was posted of the Prime Minister in the car.

Passengers caught failing to wear a seatbelt can be fined £100, and can be charged as much as £500 if the matter goes to court.

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