Dogs allowed back on beach at Caroline Bay
The dogs are back on the beach at Caroline Bay.
From mid Autumn to mid Spring, it’s a dog’s world at Caroline Bay. Timaru council bylaws allow people to walk dogs on the shorelines of Caroline Bay from April 1 until September 30.
One Timaru resident who has been taking advantage of the current situation is Kaye Lagdon and her dogs Fredrich and Brusier. Kaye said taking the dogs to the beach was ’’absolutely wonderful’’ and she wished she could do it all year round.
Although there have been problems with dogs on the beach in the past, Timaru District Council Environmental Compliance Manager Paul Cooper said this season had been relatively issue free.
‘‘We’re pleased to say the vast majority of dog owners act responsibly and we’ve had no issues reported to us so far this season.
‘‘The issues we’ve had in the past include dogs being in areas of the bay that they are not allowed, but our animal control officers work with dog owners to inform them of the rules,’’ Cooper said.
One issue some dog owners expressed, in relation to walking their dogs on the beach, was an occasional lack of waste bags at council bins.
However, Cooper said waste bags were provided as a courtesy to dog owners, who should ideally bring their own bags to the beach.
There didn’t appear to be any dog waste or bylaw-breaking villains on the beach when the Herald visited this week, just a lot of happy dogs and dog owners.
Evan, 82, and Carrol Powell, 78, were some of those. Taking their dog Cooper, 3, for a walk, they seemed very happy about the opportunity to stretch their legs with their dog on the beach.
‘‘It’s great ... Great company for them (dogs) ... We love taking him out, it makes us get out and exercise,’’ Carrol Powell said.
And they’re not the only ones, with the sun making a regular appearance over the past few days Caroline Bay is proving a popular option.