Canine Earthling, Danny, lives with his human, Baywood Chase resident, Louise Wyer, and she can’t always access the beach, because at 83, Louise sometimes has mobility challenges.
Danny and some of his canine mates, including Jessie, Jaws, Penny, Ruby, Jersey, Maggie, Milo, Lily, Kumiko, Gigi, Rafi and Coco, would just like a small allocated time at the local sports field, to run and play – so much so that their pet humans have started a petition to get some changes made.
Spokeshuman for the group, Peta Fitzsimmons, says residents are not happy about recent activities by Council rangers in and around Linda Vidler Park, Baywood Chase Lake, and the Tallow Beach dog area.
‘Several dog owners face fines of $330, and others have had warnings for seemingly innocent actions, such as not having a leash on when walking from the beach to the car park, or allowing their dogs to run across an empty field with the leash off.’
Fitzsimmons says Suffolk Park lacks a designated dog exercise park, apart from the beach, despite an increasing number of dog owners.
‘The beach is not a suitable area for some dog owners. The rarely used football field in Vidler Park has become a gathering place for dog owners to socialise and allow their pets to engage in activities.
Increased rangers
‘However, recent improvements to the field and an absence of dogs in the current management plan have prompted increased ranger activity.’
The petition urges Council to consider implementing a time management plan for the park, fencing an area next to the community gardens, or establishing another suitable dog exercise area.
The petition suggests that a fenced off area next to the community gardens has a good sized square field that could be fenced and could allow for dog play.
A Council spokesperson told The Echo that consistent with councillor resolutions, their Animal Enforcement Officers regularly patrol all areas of Byron Shire, and will warn and, where necessary, fine people found to be not following the rules.
They said, ‘It has been noted by many members in our community that there has been an increasing problem of late, of dogs that are allowed to roam, or that are walked off-leash or in areas where they are not allowed’.
Ensuring the balance
‘There is always a balance between ensuring pet owners can exercise their pets, and enforcing rules to ensure the community and our wildlife are safe.’
The Council spokesperson added staff are happy to look at other underutilised reserves that have potential.
‘It is not appropriate to have an off-leash dog area on the football grounds owing to a need to avoid faecal contamination. It is also preferable that off-leash dog areas in an urban environment are fenced’.
Peta Fitzsimmons says, ‘It is our hope that Council will recognise the importance of balancing the needs of dog owners with the community’s desire for accessible recreational spaces. The current ranger actions seem disproportionate to the minimal harm caused by the dog activities in question.’
Hello I would like to sign up for the petition too. There are days in fact that, due to the weather, is not possible to take the dog to the beach. We totally need a big space.
My concern is that as soon as such a space is provided, no matter how uninspiring, our small stretch of beach will become out of bounds.
Tweed has very strong leash laws which are enforced, but they also have a number of off leash dog parks, unfortunately in Byron successive councils seem quite dysfunctional in many aspects. Residents must demand better.
I would agree with dogs having a fenced in area to exercise. At the same time I applaud the rangers taking action against owners who are not following the rules. There are a lot of dog owners who believe their dog would not chase a wallaby or other native animals but they do, and, they kill.
After being chased by a dog these poor native wallabies will enter into myopathy and die a particularly nasty death. Please keep your dog on a lead.
Dear I want, I want, I want’s, in Suffolk there is two designated off leash dog exercise areas – the beach and around the lake in Baywood Chase. The off leash dog exercise area around the lake in in Baywood chase is accessible for anyone with mobility restrictions, and has nice lakeside spots for dog owners to socialise. It is unfortunate that those dog owners who do the wrong thing bring increased compliance action, but we have a real problem with non compliant dog owners, both on impacts on the general public and non compliant owners who ignore restrictions designed to protect wildlife. Please keep your dog on a lead in the vegetated area between houses and the beach – it is basically a wildlife corridor and there have been dogs bitten by snakes, and be aware that if your dog attacks wildlife then any member of the public has the legal right to stop the attack by, if necessary, injuring or killing your dog.
Can’t believe people who are indignant about getting a fine when they let their dogs roam free in leash areas. It’s clearly marked and there’s areas for off leash.
Why should it cost Council money to provide areas that then become conflictual because owners will still breach rules? And fail to clean up after their dogs.
You chose to get dogs knowing this is a very developed and populated area. Tweed is different geographically.
Reply from a cat owner! I wonder why cats are allowed to wander, kill birds..
All pets should be banned in the shire
cats , dogs and keeping of any pets is completely inhumane and they damage the wild life
ban the keeping of animals they should be wild and free
we need to return this shire back to the original state and start removing people and houses from the land gradually until its restored
nature is the only way
You gonna lead the way?