Cardinia Shire Council is exploring the possibility of additional off-lead dog parks across the shire.
An online survey is now open for residents to voice their thoughts on whether the current off-lead areas were meeting the needs of the community.
Cardinia Shire Mayor Brett Owen said there were close to 14,000 dogs registered in the shire, and it was important that the council tried to find a balance that met the recreation needs of dog owners and others in the community.
“There are currently 10 off-lead parks across the shire. These areas provide great benefits for dogs and their owners in terms of physical exercise and mental stimulation, however, we need to ensure that they are still the most suitable areas to allow dogs off-lead,” councillor Owen said.
“With this review, we want to make sure that all residents’ needs are considered, and also take into account the huge amount of growth and development we experience in parts of the shire.”
Residents, whether they own a dog or not, are encouraged to participate in the survey which includes questions on how often and when residents walk their dogs off-lead.
There is also a section about the criteria for establishing an off-lead dog area that considers proximity to wildlife, traffic, other residents and the impact on children’s play areas, sport and recreation and existing picnic areas.
The survey is available online via www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/offlead.
A drop-in session will also be held at council’s Civic Centre, 20 Siding Avenue, Officer, on Tuesday 3 October from 10am to 2pm where residents can come in and speak to council officers about dog off-lead areas.
For more information about off-lead areas in Cardinia Shire, visit www.cardinia.vic.gov.au/pets.
