THE SURREY HILLS SHEEP PARADE

The Sheep Parade is an exciting initiative led by the Surrey Hills National Landscape team, delivered in partnership with local sheep farmers. The project celebrates the vital role sheep play in shaping and maintaining the landscape, while raising awareness of the importance of responsible dog ownership and encouraging people to keep dogs on leads around sheep.

A colourful flock of life-sized sheep sculptures, each uniquely decorated by a Surrey artist, will ‘parade’ across the Surrey Hills throughout the year. Designed to capture attention and spark conversation, these striking artworks will engage local communities and visitors while highlighting an issue that has a very real impact on farmers and animal welfare.

Why sheep matter

Sheep are central to the Surrey Hills landscape. Their grazing helps manage vegetation naturally, supporting wildflowers, insects and birds, while reducing the need for more intensive land management. Protecting sheep plays an important role in supporting nature recovery.

A shared responsibility

The message of the Sheep Parade is simple: dogs must be kept on leads around sheep.

This is not only about preventing physical attacks. Even brief interactions such as a dog running close, chasing, or barking, can create significant stress for sheep. In some cases, this stress alone can lead to injury, separation from lambs, or longer-term welfare impacts.

Following this guidance helps prevent both distress and harm, and ensures farmers, walkers and animals can safely share the countryside.

Where to see the sheep parade

The Sheep Parade will launch at Denbies Wine Estate on National Dog Day, August 26th 2026. The event is free to attend and promises a family-friendly day out. Find all details on the event here.

After launch, the sheep sculptures will travel to locations across Surrey Hills National Landscape.

Queries

Raphaelle Simmons – Marketing Manager – raphaelle@surreyshillsenterprises.co.uk