Shire of Dardanup reminds dog owners to be responsible with pooches

Eaton dog owners will now be able to use Glen Huon Reserve football field as an off-lead dog exercise area during the evening and early morning following a decision by the Dardanup council last month. While the eastern space of the area is already an off-lead area, the change now includes the football field between 4.30pm and 7.30am as an off lead area — when it is not being used for sporting or school activities. The change was just one part of the unanimous motion which also passed measures to install more signage to remind dog owners to keep their pets on leads at a number of popular walking spots. Both Burekup Oval and the Millbridge Reserve playground area will have extra signage making it clear dogs must be kept on a lead in response to resident complaints. Shire president Tyrrell Gardiner said there had been a number of incidents raised with the shire about the sites. “Just a few instances where some community members thought that the interaction between dogs and community members were a bit too close (were reported),” he said. “That’s what highlighted the fact that we needed to inform both sides of the community, the dog owners and the non-dog owners, what areas were suitable for the on and off lead in a few places.” Shire officers undertook a review of dog exercise areas and said while they had not seen behaviour which caused ranger-concern at Burekup Oval, they had received many complaints from the Burekup school that the space was being used as a dog exercise area during school hours. The signs in Burekup Oval will remind dog owners their pets are prohibited during school hours or when there are club sporting activities. Pets must be kept on a lead at other times. Cr Gardiner said the extra signage should help clear up confusion. “Be responsible — I stand by the fact that I think our animal owners in the shire, the cat and dog owners, are responsible owners,” he said. “But sometimes it’s just a bit of a grey area in what their rights and responsibilities are in different aspects of what they do.”