Dog changes must be evidence-based, they say

THE Bass Coast Shire Council is going to see a desensitised version of its “Dogs in Public Places Guidelines” when it sits down to debate the subject at its council meeting this Wednesday.

Prior to the intervention of the powerful Phillip Island and Bass Coast Dog Owners Association, the draft guidelines included a proposal for “greater consistency in the timings of seasonal restrictions”.

This, according to dog owners’ spokesperson, Cheryl Owens, included extending present restrictions beyond February 1 to February 28 each year.

“We had to lobby hard to have that removed from the guidelines,” said Ms Owens.

“These sorts of changes need to be evidence-based and there’s simply not the data to justify extending the restrictions.”

On the contrary, according to Ms Owens, there’s compelling evidence to support declaring an off-leash beach area between the San Remo Bridge and the Grollo Estate on the Newhaven side of the bridge.

At present, there’s a 350-metre off-leash section of beach from the Palm Beach Avenue access track south to the Southport Avenue access track at Cape Woolamai (Cleeland Bight) with seasonal restrictions between December 1 and January 31 when dogs must be on-leash between the hours of 10am-6pm.

“It’s a very busy time and you’ll have dozens of dogs and owners on the beach at that time of the year which is why we say the section to the bridge should be added.

“You’d have people from San Remo, Newhaven and Phillip Island using that.

“But at other times of the year, all our beach walks are quiet,” said Ms Owens.

She said the dog owners’ group would be watching council’s decisions closely, insisting that any proposed changes be evidence-based and subject to extensive consultation.

Council is being asked to endorse the draft Dogs in Public Places Guidelines, arising out of the adoption of its Domestic Animal Management Plan 2026-2029 in October last year, and to put it out for four weeks of community consultation.