Dog owners will now have to keep their pooches on a lead whenever they walk them in Hastings district's urban areas.
The new rules were approved by Hastings District Council this week after more than a year of canvassing public opinion and study on the matter.
The idea was pushed on to the council's agenda in an effort to stop dogs from roaming in public places, such as beaches, and to prevent potential attacks on people in public spaces.
Last year, the council had suggested hiring a part-time animal control officer to work weekends and public holidays, to deal with the extra number of complaints about dogs on a Saturday and Sunday, as well as to enforce the "on-lead" policy.
Signs will be displayed around the district to clearly signal on-lead areas, and maps will be sent to each Hastings registered dog owner showing "off-lead" areas.
The maps would also be on the council's website and anyone, regardless of where they lived, would have to be aware of the new policy if they walked their dog in the Hastings district.
In June, Hawke's Bay Today reported Napier City Council's dog control bylaw was under review but it was unlikely it would follow Hastings' example.
Rural and horticultural areas would be excluded from the policy.
Hastings dog owner Rosemary Wood, a member of the Cross Staffordshire Bull Terrier Society Hawke's Bay, said her group was unhappy about a lack of provision for dogs to be able to run free and exercise. "If we are in public places we are happy about our dogs being on a lead because that means we have total control ... but there are few reasonable spaces for dogs in Hastings.
"Road reserves aren't ideal because there's not much between the dog and vehicles."
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