Dog owners barking mad at beach ban

HUNDREDS of pups and their people have called on the Kingborough Council to back away from changes to its dog management policy that have been labelled “unAustralian.”

Residents from across the municipality gathered at Kingston dog beach yesterday to protest changes that would ban dogs at all times from most beaches, except the off-lead beaches at Kingston and Clarks beaches.

Off-lead dog areas would be curtailed, off-lead walking on the Alum Cliffs Track lost, and a total ban on dog access to the popular Tinderbox Hill Track for nine months of the year.

Dogs are to be banned from proximity to shops and within 10m of playgrounds.

The Kingborough Dog Walking Association says the new policy fails to give dogs and their owners a fair go, and the decision to no longer allow dogs at sports grounds while sport is being played “seems unAustralian.”

Upcoming local government elections were not far from protesters’ minds as they listened to speakers, with regular cheering and occasional barking from the crowd.

One speaker urged people to consider running for council this year.

Margate resident Bridget Delaney and her dog Bruno were part of the crowd.

Ms Delaney said she was concerned the changes proposed by the Kingborough Council would be too restrictive for owners wanting to exercise their pets anywhere but their backyard.

“I think, with dogs as prominent as they are in the community, trying to squeeze them into a few local areas is difficult,” she said.

Kingborough mayor Steve Wass said the council looked forward to receiving further correspondence from residents.