Sydney dogs get sniff of freedom
April 5th, 2008 Posted in Pets Guide Dogs running amok through people’s picnics. Owners not picking
up their pet’s droppings. And mutts bowling over cyclists and
little children.
These were some of the concerns raised by residents who oppose
the push by the City of Sydney council to open the city’s parks to
dogs.
But with 73 per cent of the 1527 public submissions sent to the
council backing its proposal to make the inner city a friendlier
place for canines, staff have recommended turning 44 of the city’s
350 parks and reserves into areas where unleashed dogs can play
under their owners’ supervision at any time of the day or
night.
Only three parks - Edmund Resch Reserve in Redfern, Joynton Park
in Zetland and Embarkation Park in Potts Point - currently have
such provisions. Eighteen others allow dogs off-leash only between
6pm and 8am.
“We want to encourage responsible pet ownership and promote
harmonious and equitable access to public parks for all residents,”
said the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore. “Pets can break down social
isolation, bring people together and encourage exercise which makes
for a better quality of life and a friendlier, livelier city.”
However, council staff decided against declaring Paradise Park
in Ultimo an off-leash zone after receiving a petition signed by
130 angry residents.
“The footprint of somebody exercising a dog in this park takes
up the whole park,” said Michael Butler, whose family lives
opposite Paradise Park. “We’ve got nothing against dogs. We just
don’t want a bloody dog track across the road from where our kids
use this as their yard.”
Henriett Lukacs, who walks her dog Samu in Rushcutters Bay Park
at least twice a day, said it would make a big difference if the
council extended the hours dogs are allowed off-leash in the
harbourside park.
“I think it would be great if we can let them go here off the
leash all the time because the next park is at Darling Point. There
is no shade [there] and it’s very hard to handle the heat for them
in the daytime and especially summertime when it’s hot.”
The council plans to examine whether fencing can be installed
around playgrounds to assure parents of children’s safety.
Rangers would also crack down on dog owners who leave behind
their pet’s faeces. Council would continue offering free dog
obedience training.
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Tags: ash, bet, dog owners, dogs, freedom, love, Pet, pet owners, pet ownership, pets, provisions, rents, summertime, walks
