Council to unleash new dog rules?

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

A GISBORNE dog-owner’s written objections to proposed changes to dog-control rules appear to have been over ridden by 154 people who clicked “like” on Facebook.

Gisborne District Council will tomorrow decide if they will follow staff recommendations and approve a new dog control by-law but border collie-heading dog owner Ed Simperingham said that would change the rights of dog-owners to use beaches at Kaiti, Waikanae and Midway.

Mr Simperingham said the council’s own signage at present “completely contradicts” those changes and allows dogs to be off-leash when under visual and audio control.

“Having the walkway completely on-leash is completely sensible but they have made it all the way down to the tide mark.”

He said he wrote a detailed email to the council to voice his concerns but none of them had been addressed in the staff report.

“Yesterday I went down there and there were two other people there throwing sticks, but we won’t be able to do that after today.”

A report from the council’s enforcement officer said the changes to the bylaw would be intended to address “increasing complaints” of dog attacks and uncontrolled dogs on the new Oneroa Walkway, and clarify the original intention of the bylaw to make Waikane, Midway and Kaiti beaches on-leash areas only, except for the hours of 6am to 9am on days that are not school or public holidays.

“Consultation on the draft schedules has been undertaken via the council website and council FaceBook page, and closed on November 5. We received 46 comments and 124 ‘likes’. We received one submission against the proposed changes.

“The common theme expressed was people felt dogs should be on a lead in public places. There was also great support for the dog poo bag dispensers with 274 ‘likes’ on our FaceBook page and 60 comments, all praising the council initiative.”

The poo bag dispenser trial would be the subject of a future report as the trial continues.

The report pointed out off-leash areas would be available in several areas, including Nelson Park and the beach area from Pacific Street to the Waipaoa River.

A full review of the entire Dog Control Bylaw is scheduled for early 2016.