Grant District Council will consider new regulations on dog management, after adopting an updated bylaw that limits the number of dogs kept on premises and the management and control of dogs.
The changes would restrict households within townships or on properties less than two hectares to owning no more than two dogs, while those outside of townships on properties greater than two hectares could have three dogs (other than working livestock dogs).
The next stage is for the council to consider regulations around the bylaw.
But before its passing, the bylaw received submissions from the Limestone Coast Landscape Board calling for an expansion of dog prohibited areas in the Grant District Council area.
The Landscape Board requested that council restrict dogs from entering internationally and nationally significant migratory shorebird sites that have been identified within the region.
These include nesting sites for Ruddy Turnstones, Red necked stints, Sharp tailed sandpipers, Double banded plovers, Sanderlings, and Curlew Sandpipers.
Among the locations are Port MacDonnell, where areas in the town are already either dog on-leash or dog prohibited areas, and Carpenter Rocks, an area currently not included in the council’s list.
“Dogs on beaches, particularly those off leash pose a direct threat to shorebirds,” Limestone Coast Landscape Board project coordinator Julie Palmer wrote in a submission to council.
“Whether it be from direct predation on adults, juveniles or eggs (residential beach nesting) or from birds being repeatedly disturbed and not being able to feed sufficiently to meet daily energy needs and, therefore, be in sufficient health to complete their migration north again to breed.”
The Landscape Board also flagged Lake Bonney and Canunda Beach as internationally and nationally significant migratory shorebird sites for four species of birds, but these are not in council’s area, according to chief executive Darryl Whicker.
A submission from the Carpenter Rocks Progress Association was in support of declaring Carpenter Rocks and potentially Pelican Point as dog on-leash areas.
The Friends of Shorebirds South East called for an improvement to a subclause in the bylaw, which currently states that effective control can mean “by command”.
“Whilst some owners can effectively control their dogs, many dog owners only think they can,” Friends of Shorebirds SE secretary Maureen Christie said in the group’s submission.
The group also claimed that compliance in Port MacDonnell was “a serious concern”, adding there was need for a bylaw relating to cat ownership.
“The long-held belief by many in our community that, whilst dogs should be restrained, cats have the right to roam freely, is gradually being questioned,” Ms Christie said.
Mr Whicker said the council would consider community feedback for the operation of the bylaw and including Carpenter Rocks as a dog on-leash area.
“Given bylaws are a matter which affects our whole community, council’s approach is to ensure all relevant and interested parties have the opportunity to influence outcomes which are beneficial to us all,” Mr Whicker said.
“Council has taken the approach of consulting our community at large in the first instance, as well as our community rangers and staff who are out there on the ground engaging and educating the community on these issues.”
Mr Whicker confirmed Grant District Council is now in the process of consulting with the Limestone Coast Landscape Board and the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) on these issues, “to ensure holistic consideration.”
