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Public speaks up on dog-friendly beaches

BY MICHELLE HOCTOR

06 Jul, 2009 11:26 AM

Wollongong council staff were kept busy over the weekend answering enquiries about a proposal to open more beaches to dogs.

Information kiosks at Bellambi and Thirroul attracted about 160 enquiries, with people also visiting to collect pamphlets.

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.

Shellharbour Council shuts down dog idea

Doggy doo hits fan over new beach zonings

Plan to open up majority of Wollongong beaches to dogs

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.

Dog owner Goran Desnica, who visited the kiosk at Thirroul Public School's Science and Eco Festival for Kids yesterday, said he was thrilled with the council's proposal.

"It's an excellent idea. We used to have to walk from our home at Thirroul to Little Austinmer for a run," he said.

"Then they opened part of McCauleys Beach, which was good news, and now this.

"There are many dog owners in this area so I'm sure everyone is going to be happy about it."

Mr Desnica, who received his cocker spaniel Diva as a gift six years ago after he and his wife became empty nesters, assured detractors he would be responsible with the care of his pet.

He displayed a plastic container that was attached to Diva's lead and which contained handy plastic bags for poop-scooping.

The public can comment on the proposal until August 6. Further community kiosks are planned at Coledale, Stanwell Park and Warrawong.

RELATED COVERAGE

04 Jul 09:

Shellharbour council shuts down dog idea

02 Jul 09:

Doggy doo hits fan over new beach zonings

01 Jul 09:

Plan to open up majority of Wollongong beaches to dogs

comments

Date: Newest first | Oldest first

i wondering if the council will take any notice of poll today????

Posted by HOPE, 6/07/2009 4:58:15 PM

Dog owners walk pass my house with their dogs on the way to the beach and never pick up their dog's poo. No way should dogs be allowed on to our most popular beaches.

Posted by Alan, 6/07/2009 10:04:45 PM

"He displayed a plastic container that was attached to Diva's lead and which contained handy plastic bags for poop-scooping." True some people pick up dog's excrement, but not urine and it is unhealthy to use area where dogs poo and urinate for other activities without proper sanitation. Of course sun and rain do fix the problem eventually but it takes time and number of new deposits will not allow that. Pity that we have to go back to dark ages. Same with wood heaters, it is impossible to go for a walk in the evening. Chimneys are not cleaned, wood is not properly burned, but this is another story.

Posted by Barry, 7/07/2009 2:51:50 PM

This is so hard to beleive, what ever happened to honey i'm taking the dog for a walk, well you can't ! you have to wait for such and such a time, what happens if you live across the road from a beach, dogs love swimming, they love the water, maybe people could just spray that glen 20 stuff everywhere, and yes it is a good idea for council to supply doggy bags.

Posted by woof, 7/07/2009 7:55:09 PM

Visitors Welcome to Craptown

Posted by tezza, 7/07/2009 9:51:30 PM

“and yes it is a good idea for council to supply doggy bags.” Posted by woof, 7/07/2009 6:55:09 PM

Hope it is covered by funds gathered from dog’s registration, otherwise it is unfair for other ratepayers to pick up cost of somebody else’s frivolity.

If this is so unfair to dogs not being able to swim or excrete wherever, why possible owner doesn’t take it into account prior to procuring a dog?

Things changed in last 100 years, we have denser population, we know that sanitation plays major role in community health. By the way this is why we have piped sewer lines and not open channels and pit toilets.

Posted by Barry, 9/07/2009 3:23:52 PM

What a sad sad society we have become. Dogs have been our companions for thousands of years. Now we have a growing group of miserable, po-faced, sad-sacks complaining about a bit of dog poo on their nature strips. When I was a kid, there were always dogs around, usually friendly, playing with each other and us kids. If you stood in a bit of dog poo, you went, "Oooh" and scraped it off. You didn't go running off to Mummy or the Council demanding the return of capital punishment. If you want to complain about something, complain about those who have to have fighting dogs to bolster their own esteem. It was after these dogs started becoming popular that dogs on the street became a menace and led to widespread condemnation of anyone who dared let their dog off a leash.

Posted by Alton Darwin, 11/07/2009 9:00:35 AM

Dog owners are to irrisponsible to let thier dogs run free. There is nothing more frightning than being chased by a dog.When the ower is to far away with the lead in their hand to exert any control over the dog. Then after being chased and bitten you realise your feet are covered in dog crap , by this time its to late to do anything about the attack as both dog and owner have dissaperared

Posted by lacey, 1/08/2009 6:05:53 AM

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