Massive crowds - of people and pooches - have taken to the beach to rally against controversial changes to Wollongong City Council’s dogs on beaches policy.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The https://www.facebook.com/sharkiesdogs?fref=ts to save the northern Illawarra’s off-leash beaches reached a new height on Sunday morning, as thousands of people took to McCauleys Beach in a show of support.
Hundreds of pooches were also among the crowd of bright green T-shirts and bandannas, walking from Sandon Point along McCauleys beach without incident.
‘‘We want to make sure that council has a policy that reflects the views of the community.''
The event was organised by the Illawarra Dog Community group to fight against council policy changes that would only allow dogs on Sharkeys, McCauleys and Little Austinmer beaches at restricted times, provided they are on a leash.
Committee member David Hurley said the group hoped the walk would send a strong message to council.
‘‘We hope councillors will look at the photos, take a look at the [news reports] and realise the community support for the idea of dogs on off-leash beaches is so great that it far outweighs the 70 complaints they’ve had over the last two years,’’ Mr Hurley said.
‘‘We want to make sure that council has a policy that reflects the views of the community and the only way to do that is for people to let their views be known to council.’’
Ward 3 councillor and self-confessed ‘‘cat person’’ Bede Crasnich has thrown his support behind the movement, calling the proposed changes to council’s dogs on beaches and parks policy an ‘‘attack on personal freedoms’’.
‘‘There is a very, very small minority of people here who, for whatever reasons, want dogs on leashes and don’t want them on beaches. I don’t know why that is, but it would be at the expense of the broader community,’’ he said.
‘‘I do not believe that dog owners should be demonised and have their lives restricted because of a very vocal minority. It would be very unrepresentative if Wollongong City Council were to head down that path.’’
Cr Crasnich said depending on the outcome of the next meeting, he would try to push amendments and move to have Sharkeys and McCauleys beaches exempt, describing the use of unpatrolled beaches as off-leash zones as a ‘‘happy medium’’.
The proposed policy is on public exhibition until October 6.
People interested in joining the group’s mailing list can email illawarradogcommunity@gmail.com or make a submission to Wollongong City Council by visiting haveyoursaywollongong.com.au.