Proactive Patrols help improve dog owner behaviour

There has been a 30% decrease in the number of dog owners breaking Council regulations at popular parks, beaches and foreshores following the introduction of a dedicated Animal Management Proactive Patrol team 12 months ago.

Proactive Patrol officers are out and about in the community each morning and afternoon, chatting with dog owners about their pets and reminding them how their behaviour can have a negative impact on other members of the community.

Over the past year there has been a steady decrease in the number of dogs found off-lead in on-lead areas and dogs in dog-prohibited zones such as sporting fields and playgrounds.

Acting Mayor Terry James said the Proactive Patrol team was put together in response to community concerns about dogs being allowed off-lead in high-use public spaces, leading to fear that people or other animals could be attacked.

“Dog owners, in general, believe that their dog is friendly and won’t hurt anyone. But even dogs that have never shown any sign of aggression can act out of character if they are scared, anxious or bothered by other pets,” Cr James said.

“Many residents have also had negative experiences with dogs in the past, and can be intimidated or frightened when they encounter a dog that isn’t on a lead.”

The dedicated Proactive Patrol team randomly attends 44 sites throughout the region during peak times for dog exercise, and has, over the past year, completed over 8,000 interactions with members of the public.

In October 2022, one in every four dog owners was noted breaching a Local Law.

This fell to 14% in June 2023. The number of site visits where all dog owners were following regulations has also risen to 73% compared to just over half in October 2022.

Cr James said that while there had been improvement in dog owners’ behaviour, there was still more work to be done.

“Our Patrol officers take an educational approach when talking to dog owners. Our aim is to explain why walking your dog correctly is important and provide tips on making walking your dog on-lead easier rather than fine people. But if we see the same owner breaking the rules repeatedly, they will be penalised,” he said.

“While the Proactive Patrol program has been successful, we can’t be everywhere at once. Ultimately, it’s up to dog owners to choose to protect themselves, their pet and the community.”

Ways dog owners can be responsible members of their community:

• Always have their dog on a lead in on-lead areas
• Have good control of their dog when they are on lead to stop their pet running off or lashing out at other dogs or people
• Have good control of their dog in off-leash parts – this means their dog will respond immediately to voice or hand commands
• Picking up their dog’s waste.