URGENT call to all dog owners
So you all know about soapbox Simon… stand clear Sir.. make way for Soapbox Sarah!
Last night at Darebin Parklands I was presented with a brochure showing the planned amendments to off lead areas for dogs a the parklands. Currently I walk my dogs in the lower part where I and usually about 30 other dog owners regularly and responsibly (picking up after them, keeping them out of non off lead areas etc) get our own exercise in a great part of the world. It is rare to see anyone without a hound in this section of the parklands, the non dog owners stick to the upper areas where there are bike paths, bbq facilities, bike and walking tracks. We dog owners are the ones that trudge through the mud and steep hills! And our animals and our health love us for it.
Darebin council are planning on closing the whole lower area off to dogs off lead and want to make the only dog off lead area a small grassed area bounded by bike paths, the bbq area & duck ponds (what do you think dogs off lead are going to do around duck ponds?!). What I do not think the council has done is actually been there on a Sunday late afternoon and seen the sheer amount of people and pooches exercising. It would be absolute mayhem and carnage to put that amount of dogs in a small area and expect them not to fight and cause havoc to the surrounding areas which are principally for bike riders, families and lets not forget the ducks!
One of the factors….. alright there was this little thing called applebox too!……… that helped make my decision to move from Sydney to Melbourne was the forward thinking of Melbourne Councils in making the city so livable. This includes the transport, culture, community and believe it or not…. places I can walk my dog!! Sydney is incredibly restrictive, they have a lot of national park sure but you can not take dogs anywhere in Sydney. There are small oval sections of parks policed heavily. It is hard for the owner to get any exercise other than walking round in circles on an overcrowded bit of grass trying to keep your dog clear of all the dog fights that naturally occur when large numbers of dogs are confined to small areas. Come on Darebin…… we just took over as the fattest nation in the world… don’t discourage a group of people who are actually healthy out there and exercising as part of daily life. Shame shame shame..
This change is due to go through on the 17th of July (THIS THURSDAY) so please contact the council by writing to
Animal Management Strategy , City of Darebin, PO Box 91, Preston 3072;
or by email to Council at mailbox@darebin.vic.gov.au or by contacting
Council on 8470 8529.
You can see for yourself what this change will mean by opening the following link:
www.darebin.vic.gov.au/Files/Consultation_Plan_On_Off_Lead_Areas_June_2008.pdf