Wellington going to the dogs: Council proposes letting animals on central beach all year round

Oriental Bay, Wellington. Photo / Getty Images

This summer could see a lot more four-legged friends on Wellington’s Oriental Bay beach as the council considers letting dogs run off-leash all through the year.

If the proposal goes through, dogs would be allowed on the beach before 10am and after 7pm all summer long.

However, the council is considering a canine caveat – all dog owners would have to carry poo bags with them or face a $300 fine.

“No one likes stepping in dog poop,” councillor Terri O’Neill told NZME.

“It’s just adding an extra barrier if you will for preventing other people from having a bit of a stinky experience walking in some dog poop.”

O’Neill added that the new proposed off-leash times would help address the “huge boom” in dog ownership over Covid-19.

“For every 16 people, there’s one dog. As the city grows we need more densification and that means more apartments and less 100 meters of green at the back of your house.”

With the current restrictions, dogs are prohibited from being on the beach at all between November 1 and April 30.

It’s the latest doggy dilemma facing the capital after Mayor Tory Whanau was forced to rehome her beloved Staffordshire bull terrier Teddy after it was revealed she had breached the council’s tenancy agreement by bringing him into the office.

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A post shared by Teddy (@hiswoofship)

Whanau told the Herald she is upset and described the situation as an “emotional hit”. Whanau said she loved Teddy and treated him like a person.

“It’s an emotional hit, it is a bit of a hit for me but the job is also really important. Wellington is really important, so I’ll adjust.”

The council is leasing premises on The Terrace while it deals with earthquake problems at its usual home in Civic Square.

Whanau hoped the council’s permanent home would allow dogs.

Vita Molyneux is a Wellington-based journalist who covers breaking news and stories from the capital. She has been a journalist since 2018 and joined the Herald in 2021.