There’s a petition currently before the City Council to extend the off-leash area in Trelissick Park, Wellington, New Zealand:

Title: Petition to extend the boundary of the off-leash dog exercise area in Trelissick Park.

Opened: 10 July 2009

Closes: 10 October 2009

Submitted by: Lorraine Chin dinky.doggy@paradise.net.nz

Petition Details: Petition for the extension of the off-leash dog exercise area boundary so it starts at entrance number six on Kaiwharawhara Road (bottom of Ngaio Gorge) and ends at entrance number two on Waikowhai Street (by Crofton Downs Railway Station). This will allow dogs to have a larger space for a decent run.

Background information: Currently the off-leash dog exercise area is from entrance number five (Ngaio Gorge Road) to the first sewer trap, a mere 1000 metres or so. This is not a large enough area for dogs to have a good run and to socialise.

[Via : ePetitions - Current ePetitions - Details - Wellington - New Zealand.]

If you use the park or just have an opinion, be sure to Have your Say.

There’s some interesting debate in the comments on an article about how dogs are banned from most parks in Gatineau. It seems many owners are just unaware their dogs aren’t allowed in most of the area’s parks:

Dogs in Gatineau will be told to keep their paws out of city parks, as the municipality begins putting up “no dogs allowed” signs next week in about 350 parks, from Aylmer to Buckingham.

The $10,000 initiative, which should be complete by August, is meant to reinforce an existing, but often ignored, bylaw that bans dogs from all but 29 designated city parks.

[Via : Gatineau unleashes $10,000 ‘no dogs’ campaign in parks.]

As usual, the problems seem to cluster around dog poop and off-leash dogs approaching people on the one hand. On the other hand, the dog owners want properly appointed areas where they can provide their dogs safely with socialisation and exercise.

It’s more than a year since the City of Sydney introduced dog-friendly policies and off-leash parks. Now they’re finding owners are being more responsible and fewer animals are ending up in the Pound:

… figures show huge increases in the number of dogs in all Sydney metropolitan council areas. …

But this apparent dog boom may simply be a boom in responsible pet ownership. Council campaigns encouraging owners to microchip and register their dogs are working, councils and veterinaries said.

… microchipping had reduced the number of animals in the council’s shelter.

…Dog-friendly strategies encourage residents to get dogs or people with dogs to move to the area.

The Sydney Lord Mayor, Clover Moore, who has championed the social benefits of dog ownership, said the majority of feedback she had received since the designation of new off-leash parks in April last year had been positive.

[Via : Chips on shoulder or barking mad? City gone to dogs.]

In Iowa (USA) a dog parks¹ are becoming increasingly popular, and the city leaders say they’re a low-cost feature that can attract and retain residents:

Dog parks, once a rarity in Iowa, have taken off in the past five or six years. …

The parks are showing up in the state’s largest cities — Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, Davenport, Iowa City, Sioux City and West Des Moines — with the exception of Des Moines. At least 15 cities across Iowa have dog parks, but no group keeps an official record. Owners profess they are good for people and for pooches, and city leaders say they are low-cost features to offer residents.

…There are benefits for dogs — space to play and exercise, as well as opportunities for socialization, which can lead to better behavior — but advocates say the parks also bring people together. …

Jordison said he expects dog parks to follow the trend of skate parks and aquatic centers — once scarce treats that are now staples of cities trying to attract and retain residents.

[Via : Dog parks leap in popularity | DesMoinesRegister.com | The Des Moines Register.]

If there aren’t any dog parks in your area, grab your dog owning buddies and approach the local authorities to ask for one.

¹ …a dog park, defined as a public place with a designated area for dogs to run off a leash. — Definition in the article quoted above.

If you can tell us where to find research that backs up the claims of health and other benefits please leave a comment below. Let’s pool our knowledge to help everyone lobby for better facilities for dogs and their owners.

The Wellington City Council is about to begin consulting the public about dogs and dog facilities in the city:

Wellington City Council is to consider a number of changes to its Dog Control Policy. A draft paper of suggested changes will go before the Council’s Strategy and Policy next Thursday 7 May before going out for public consultation in June [2009].

About 8,500 dogs are registered in Wellington City – about 8 percent of the city’s households have dogs.

The Council adopted the Dog Control Policy in 2004 and agreed to review it in 2009. The policy focuses on ensuring public health and safety, animal welfare, the recreational needs of dogs and their owners and responsible dog ownership.
Proposed changes to the policy include:

• an increase in off-leash dog exercise areas
• improved access for dogs and their owners to the waterfront through the central business district
• a proposal for destination dog parks
• a requirement for dog owners to carry a dog poo receptacle.

[Via : News - Every Dog Owner to Have Their Say.]

There are reports available as PDFs on the Strategy & Policy page. Report 1, Draft Dog Control Policy 2009 is the one you need.

The May 2008 Dog Exercise Area Survey by Wellington City Council in New Zealand found:

In May 2008, a dog exercise area survey was distributed to registered dog owners. There were 3494 responses, 38.9% of registered owners. The purpose of the survey was to find out where Wellington city dog owners exercise their dogs and which designated dog exercise areas are used most/least. Lyall Bay beach was the most frequently mentioned exercise area with more than three times the responses received for the second most mentioned area – Ataturk Memorial. It was identified that the most popular exercise areas are those that have the features of safety, parking, rubbish bins, a water source and interest for the dog.