Being able to walk off-lead in bushland reserves makes Clarence special

I have walked my dogs off-lead in bushland reserves or on the beaches virtually every day for 35 years. In that time I have had to accept the imposition of gradual restrictions, recognising that they are probably inevitable with increasing population. But this plan has taken one giant leap towards unreasonable and unjustifiable control. In winter the only people on the beaches are those hardy souls walking their dogs. Even the bike riders seem to disappear from the tracks. I walk the tangara trails and rarely see horse riders. That’s not to say bike and horse riders should not be able to enjoy riding safely, but NOT at the expense of people being able to walk their dogs off-lead responsibly. A complete ban on dogs being able to walk off-lead is hysterical overreaction. Walking dogs off-lead but under effective control as per the definition in the policy seems adequate.

With regard to the claim that wildlife is at risk in bushland reserves from dogs walking off-lead, every day I see road-kill on my way to one of my walks. But when I asked the council if it was possible to put signage up at the beginning of a new sub development warning drivers of a common wildlife crossing, I was told there were restrictions preventing it. So another wallaby is skittled on our road every couple of months. But I have never seen any evidence of a wallaby killed by a dog in the bush.

So please, leave the rules as they are, so citizens can enjoy the beaches and the bush with their, mostly, well behaved dogs. There is nothing as joyful as a free and bounding dog.