Alex Kaufman, Victoria Dawson and bull terrier Kitty at Sharkey's Beach, Coledale. Picture: KEN ROBERTSON

Residents have slammed a plan to allow more dogs on beaches, saying Wollongong's pristine coast will become a filthy wasteland covered in dog poo.The Mercury's website was yesterday flooded with comments on Wollongong City Council's proposed extension to off-leash and dog exercise areas.Many were criticisms about the "warm surprises" and "doggy doo" which irresponsible dog owners failed to pick up.

Plan to open up majority of Wollongong beaches to dogs One said East Corrimal was a "filthy" off-leash beach."This beach should have been the jewel of Wollongong but instead has become the open sewer of Wollongong," they wrote.Under the council's "traffic light" system, beaches will be designated either as red no-go zones for dogs, green off-leash areas or orange on-leash areas with dogs allowed before 9am and after 4pm in winter or 6pm in summer.Dogs will be banned from coastal rock pools and from Coledale, Austinmer, North Wollongong, Belmore Basin and City beaches.Some existing off-leash areas will be extended and three new off-leash areas will be created.The public can comment on the proposal until August 6. Community kiosks are planned at Bellambi, Thirroul, Coledale, Stanwell Park and Warrawong.Regulation and enforcement manager Peter Chrystal said the council would educate dog owners about rules for the beaches, and other facilities such as bins and plastic bags may be introduced. Disappointed dog owners at the only off-leash area set to be scrapped - Sharkey's Beach at Coledale - yesterday urged the council to reconsider its proposal to change the beach to an orange on-leash area."If they did a user survey, they would find the majority of people using this beach are walking dogs off leash," Austinmer resident Alex Kaufman said.Ms Kaufman and her English bull terrier Kitty use the off-leash beach several times a week.Victoria Dawson said Sharkey's Beach was a great place for dog owners to make friends."It would be a great pity if this was not an off-leash area. A lot of people come from the western suburbs to use this area because it is such a great spot."The women said they had never had a complaint from other beach users. Austinmer's Sue Baker and border collie Jess also frequent Sharkey's Beach. "I don't see why it would be a problem to keep it as an off-leash area," Ms Baker said.She called for the council to consider retaining the beach as an off-leash area, at least on weekdays."You do see some people complain when some dogs get a big wild. But I've not had any problem."But many readers criticised dog owners who were unable to control their pets at the beach, with one saying "dogs and children do not mix".Others congratulated the council on extending access to dog owners, who make up about 37 per cent of the city's residents.

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Doggy doo hits fan over new beach zonings

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