Despite an extensive and no doubt expensive eighteen-month process to develop new Port Phillip Dog Off-Leash Guidelines, dog owners are fearful that their fury friends will face more restrictions in parks, sports grounds and on beaches.
Dog owners from Elwood to Port Melbourne have contacted TWiSK to say the Council process has let them down and left them out of the discussion.
A draft policy was presented at Council in March for public comment and then followed up by an engagement report in mid-June before an anticipated final decision in July.
The tone and content of these documents prompted a pack of concerned dog owners to fire a barrage of questions at Council officers at last week’s Council meeting.
Jen Bishop, one of the questioners told TWiSK that dog owners felt left out of the engagement process. ‘As a dog owner, I asked how I could be involved in the process and effectively got no response,’ she said.
Dog owners already on edge
The release of draft guidelines in March contained a range of broad statements that put the dog owning community on high alert. The policy suggested more dog free spaces in Port Phillip and further restrictions on dogs on some ‘specialist’ sports fields – it offered no assurance that dog spaces would be retained or expanded.
Dog owners have also noted a marked increase in enforcement activity with many more fines being issued by council (especially in January).
Anecdotal evidence of a blitz in dog fines was confirmed when the CEO report (104 Jan 2024) reported a spike in dog off leash fines after morning patrols in hotspot areas issued nearly 50 fines in January alone.
Final draft delayed until August
With widespread discontent brewing and dog owners getting organised, by last Wednesday council officers were scrambling for more time to ‘incorporate feedback’ into the policy draft that ultimately goes to Council.
Faced with a list of forensic questions, senior council officers told the 19 June Council meeting that the final presentation would be delayed until at least 21 August.
In another encouraging sign, a delegation of dog owners was invited to meet with the Mayor and Deputy Mayor (and a senior officer) the following day to discuss the next steps.
Off the record, participants told TWiSK that Council conceded that the text of the draft policies did not reflect or appreciate the importance of dog spaces. They said it was made clear by dog owners that the policy shouldn’t go back to Council without major changes.
Mayor Cr Heather Cunsolo told TWiSK that she, Cr Crawford and council officers met with a few dog owners representing dog owner groups across the municipality last week.
‘We have recently received many emails and thought it a good opportunity to discuss concerns raised, where we are at in the process and answer queries. Councillors have recently asked for more work to be done on the dog off leash guidelines.
‘I expect another briefing with councillors before ideally coming back to the chambers August or Sept. I’ll ask for the project page to be updated with timelines as soon as we can.’
Alex Makin, Port Melbourne dog owner was in the meeting as gave this comment to TWiSK:
‘Council’s community engagement shows the proposed guidelines have failed to meet their objectives and lack community support. The community’s rejection of these guidelines demonstrates Council must do more than minor tinkering by August. The guidelines or changes to dog off leash spaces must not go back to Council until major changes are made.’
Walk the dog and sign the paper petition
The CoPP Dog Network is circulating a paper petition amongst dog owners for presentation to Council after 28 July.
The petition backs the group’s two key requests:
> No loss of current dog off leash spaces or their present duration of usage.
> Provision of additional dog off leash spaces commensurate to the current and future dog population.
Watch for the paper petition with volunteers at dog parks, local vets and pet supply shops
Background:
Positive response to earlier petitions but ….
In March this year, around 400 Elwood residents submitted two petitions calling for better dog spaces in Elwood. But dog owners are concerned that the new policy ignores their requests.
Over 300 signatures called for Council to extend the off-lead space from the current rock Groyne south of Point Ormond, extending to the next rock groyne adjacent to Elwood Angling Club. From 5:30 to 9:30am in the Nov 1 – Mar 31 period.
Just under 100 signatures asked Council and Elwood Primary School to work together so that the Elwood Primary School Reserve becomes available as an off-leash dog park before 8:30am and after 4:30pm.
One of the people that initiated the petitions told TWiSK that Councillors and council staff have to their credit been working on supporting dog owners with both of these requests.
TWiSK wonders why these concerns were not reflected in the development of the draft Dogs off-Leash Guidelines?
Highlights from the minutes of Q&A at Council 19 June
Q: Can Council please advise which specific meeting date the Dog Off-Leash Guidelines will return to council for potential adoption and if the timelines have been varied from the report back on 20 March, and provide a rationale as to why that may be the case?
A: Dana Pritchard, Manager Open Space, Recreation and Community Resilience, advised that council officers had indicated at the 20 March meeting that they would bring the draft Dog-Off Leash Guidelines to Councillors for endorsement in July. However given the amount of feedback, officers now plan to bring it to Councillors for endorsement at a meeting in August (likely to be 21 August).
Q: Can the Council confirm there is a plan for additional dog off-leash spaces commensurate to the current and future dog population?
A: Dana Pritchard, Manager Open Space, Recreation and Community Resilience, advised that in preparing the Guidelines officers are looking at all of council’s open spaces across the municipality to identify any opportunities for future fenced or unfenced dog off leash areas. Officers acknowledge that there is some concern that we are proposing to remove dog off-leash areas without providing new areas to compensate for this potential loss. That’s why officers are doing this additional work and any changes to dog off-leash restrictions will be considered alongside the draft Dog Off-Leash Guidelines.
Q: Will Council commit to no net loss of dog off leash areas?
A: Dana Pritchard, Manager Open Space, Recreation and Community Resilience, advised that officers are preparing the guidelines and considering this through the guidelines. Officers are doing additional work to make considerations as to what the future dog off-leash restrictions look like. All dog off-leash areas are designated under our local laws and any changes would need to follow a formal consultation process prior to being considered for adoption. While the Dog-Off Leash Guidelines might propose changes, these cannot be adopted outside a formal change to the local law.
Q: The Dog Off-Leash Report closing statement states that “Elite or premier grounds may be taken away as dog use and be used exclusively for sport.” Straight after, a contradicting statement says “Any present off-leash areas will not be taken away from dog use.”
A: Dana Pritchard, Manager Open Space, Recreation and Community Resilience, advised that specialist sports grounds are those sporting grounds which include synthetic turf pitches, or the premier level playing grass surfaces. Specialist sports grounds in the City of Port Phillip include SNS Anderson Oval, Pitch 1 at J.L. Murphy Reserve, which is currently off-leash and the community synthetic ground, pitch 3 at J.L. Murphy Reserve, which is currently being upgraded, which is also currently off-leash and Northport Oval, which is currently an on-leash oval. No other ovals are considered specialist because they don’t play elite sport on them. That includes Lagoon Reserve and Peanut Farm as well.
