Hot under the collar

By Paul Dunlop
DOG lovers are calling for an off-leash park in Pakenham, saying there is nowhere in the area where they can exercise their pets without breaking the law.
State regulations require all dog owners to keep dogs on a leash when outside their own property.
Owners of dogs left uncontrolled in public areas face hefty fines.
Authorities said the stance is in the interests of community safety because many dog attacks could have been prevented had the animal been on a leash.
Pakenham resident Sheree Deane said having an off-leash park would mean dog owners, particular those with bigger dogs, could let their pets get the workout they needed without presenting a safety risk to people.
“I have been living there for three years and I can’t believe there isn’t an off-leash park,” she said.
“So many people have dogs, but there is nowhere to take them.
“People worry about dogs being aggressive, but that is often because they are not properly socialised.
“Dogs bark because they don’t get enough exercise. If there was a secure and safe place where you could throw a ball and let the dog play with other dogs, it will wear itself out and won’t be any trouble.”
Pakenham resident Lillian Keogh said she would love to see an off-leash park in the town. She said the facility would be well used.
Ms Deane takes her six-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier, Dozer, into inner Melbourne, where she said there were plenty of pooch-friendly parks.
“We went to a park at Brighton and he had a ball. It wouldn’t take a lot to build one, just a fenced off area in an existing park that’s not used much,” she said.
Cardinia Shire manager of governance and communications, Doug Evans, said the council had considered creating designated off-leash areas a few years ago, but had not pursued the initiative.
The main problem was finding an appropriate location, he said.
“The area needs to be effectively fenced, it needs to be out of the way yet accessible, and you need to make sure it is not in close proximity to a school, and there needs to be dog toilets.
“Finding shire-owned land that meets all the criteria is not an easy task and council found at the time that there was not a huge demand for those areas.
“But if the demand grows as Pakenham and the surrounding area grows, then council would certainly look at it,” Mr Evans said.
Ms Deane said something needed to be done, and she was considering starting a petition.
• What’s your view about off-leash dog parks? Email the News at editor@starnews group.com.au or phone 5945 0666.