With submissions on Central Coast Council’s Dogs in Open Space Plan 2022-23 draft policy set to close in just a week, on August 26, three separate petitions are protesting some of its suggestions and have collectively attracted almost 3,000 signatures to date.
Imogen da Silva of Umina has launched a petition on behalf of the region’s responsible dog owners opposing several of the suggestions in the draft plan and asking Council to consider not introducing the policy until elected councillors are in place.
She also says Council should consider a community-elected responsible dog ownership group to monitor complaints and issues from within the community.
“I am very passionate about this issue and feel as though the views of a minority are dictating to the majority,” she said.
“Responsible dog owners across the Central Coast have a wide and supportive community that kept them going during lockdown, has helped ease newcomers into the area and seen lifelong friendships forged.
“Responsible dog owners pick up other dogs’ poo on the beach and ovals as well as litter from holidaymakers; they make the beaches and ovals cleaner.”
The petition says plenty of off-leash grass and beach areas should be provided for active dogs within 15 minutes of homes, with the size and length of areas planned in terms of current dog ownership and projected dog ownership.
Her major objection to the draft plan is the suggestion that all beach access should be denied to dogs between 9am and 5pm during summer.
“Timed access is not a majority option,” the petition says.
“(Some) people are shift workers and can’t get to the beach before 9am or after 5pm; some people time their visits to the beach according to the weather, kids in school and the tide being out amongst other things; and having a concentration of dogs at limited times could increase the number of attacks.”
Da Silva is also furious at the suggestion that dogs, both on and off-leash, should be banned from all ovals at all times.
“These ovals are really only used on weekends and are idle for at least 75 per cent of the time,” she said.
“Plenty of other councils allow people onto ovals with their dogs when there are no sporting activities.”
Da Silva said ovals are a community resource, with maintenance funded by ratepayers, and should be available to dog owners when not in use.
She said elderly people comprise 30 per cent of the community and many cannot walk on sand, with grass venues their only option and dogs often their only companions.
She discounted the fear of dog attacks as a valid reason for limiting access to beaches and ovals.
“Most dog attacks occur while people are walking their dogs on the streets and certain breeds of dog are known to be especially liable to attack,” she said.
The petition suggests Council should: provide poo bags at ovals and at regular intervals on beaches and bins on the beach all year round; and hire more rangers to actively police problems such as registration, desexing, dogs off leash on streets and escaped dogs.
At the time of writing, the petition had attracted 123 signatures so far.
A second petition, opposing the suggestion to move Terrigal Haven Dog Park, which has parking, enough space for the dogs to run and safely from main roads to a suburban space in Duffys Rd that has no parking and is in a well-known flood plain where the water won’t drain away, has attracted 447 signatures.
“Terrigal has a high proportion of dog owners, yet the Council sees fit to offer its highest rate payers second class facilities,” the petition says.
A third petition, launched by residents in the Davistown area, protests a proposal to relocate the popular Pippi Point off-leash dog area in Illoura Reserve to a new area further along the waterfront, which they say is totally inappropriate for the purpose.
Launched by Johny Row of Davistown and the Save Pippi Point campaign group of residents, the petition has attracted 2,212 signatures (see separate story).
The petitions can be found at change.org under the headings Central Coast Council Dog Policy Action Plan – this is what the community want, Save Terrigal Haven dog park and Save Pippi Point Dog Park from closure.
A spokesperson said Council encourages community discussion and engagement with the Draft Dogs in Open Space Action Plan with residents able to have a say on the community consultation website yourvoiceourcoast.com/dogs
“Council values input from a diverse range of opinions and will use all feedback to inform the final Dogs In Open Space Action Plan,” the spokesperson said.
Terry Collins
Dogs are a natural part of the family and have been so for many thousands of years. It’s well established in the research that dogs help encourage us to exercise and have improved mental health.
Why on earth would Central Coast Council be attempting to reduce this, rather than encouraging it?
In fact we should have more spaces for humans and their dogs; more education for broader community on dog-ownership and training; more education on the benefits of owning companion animals … not less.
Central Coast Council’s plans suit some tourists and business operators, not the broader dog-loving community that lives on the Central Coast.
Leave the parks alone- in fact increase the number of dog parks, cafes and access to dog owners.
Leave the dog parks alone. Please add more.
The statistics say it all:165 dog attacks on public roads or footpaths, 79 at private properties. This is 87% of all dog attacks. The percentage in public places including beaches is 13%, yet council wants to decrease these areas of public spaces for dog owners. They should be increased! If you want to stop dog attacks, start with educating owners to safely fence them in their own homes and have them on a leash on public roads and footpaths.
Dogs are often the best friend of an owner, they significantly decrease loneliness and mental health issues. It is unacceptable to ask owners to restrict their hours to before nine and after five on beaches. Give dog owners more open spaces, not less.