Dartmoor Commoners' Council

Dartmoor is an upland region of moorland in the county of Devon, in the southwest of England. It covers approximately 368 square miles, and rises to 621m (2037 ft) above sea level. Underlying the moor is Carboniferous granite, which is visible at the surface as tors - rocky outcrops at the summits of many of the hills.

The Moor was designated a National Park in 1951. Nearly 36000 hectares (88900 acres) of the Park is common land, some 37% of the Park's whole area and more than 75% of its moorland. Importantly, the commons form the heartland of Dartmoor and that vast open space which is the main reason for its National Park status.

Under the Dartmoor Commons Act (1985), the Dartmoor Commoners' Council was established to represent the commoners, make regulations about most matters, which concern the management of the commons and the welfare of the stock de-pastured on the commons, and to enforce the Dartmoor Commoners' Council Regulations.

Zero Tolerance Policy

Our Council Members and support staff have the right to be treated with dignity and respect at all times.  They should be able to carry out their duties and do their jobs without being physically, mentally or verbally abused and this behaviour will not be tolerated.

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Privacy Policy

Your privacy is important to us and we take our responsibility regarding the security of your personal information very seriously.  To reflect the newest changes in data protection law, and our commitment to transparency, we have produced a Privacy Statement.  If you'd like to find out more, take a look at our Privacy Policy.

Sick & Injured Animals on Dartmoor

Please contact Dartmoor Livestock Protection Officer Karla McKechnie on 07873 587561.

Road Traffic Incidents Involving Animals on Dartmoor

In the event of an incident or road traffic accident involving animals on the commons, the contact is Karla McKechnie, the Dartmoor Livestock Protection Officer on 07873 587561.

Karla has a good working knowledge of the local area and will be familiar with the animals’ ownership marks.  The owner of the animal can be identified from the coloured marks, ear tags or brands on the body of the animal.

The location of the incident should be given as well as any identifying marks or tag numbers.  These details will give an indication of the ownership of the animals, which tend to graze in specific areas of the Moor.

The owner should always be informed if the animal is injured or killed and needs to be removed from the road.  The farmer is legally obliged to account for each animal that they own and, if stock is removed without their knowledge, they are unable to justify the missing animals to Defra who record each animal on a national database.