Editorial: City is no place for dogs to walk

Rotorua's central city might be struggling to get a crowd at the moment, but that's no reason to extend an invite to dogs.

In today's paper we reveal the number of empty shops in the city's CBD has risen to an all-time high of 91.

It makes for worrying reading.

The number of business owners either closing their doors permanently or moving to the likes of Central Mall has become an increasing concern for retailers who are starting to question what will happen to our central city.

The Rotorua District Council is making moves to address the great exodus, revealing a plan called CBD-centric that aims to increase foot traffic in the central city.

But among those strolling through our city won't be dogs and their owners - and thank goodness for that.

The council decided on Monday not to make any grand alterations to its proposed Dog Control Bylaw and Dog Policy to allow dogs in our CBD.

The proposal was to allow dog owners to exercise their animals while on a lead in Kuirau Park, the Village Green and Rotorua Lakefront between 6am and 9am and 6pm to 9pm.

The main supporter of the change, councillor Mike McVicker, said he knew of people who would not come to Rotorua because they are not allowed to bring their dogs into the city - something that is allowed in many other cities around the world.

In my view, not allowing this proposal to go ahead is the right move.

I'm a dog owner and would love nothing more than to take my golden labrador to the Rotorua Lakefront. But as always the minority is ruining it for the majority.

There are just too many dog owners who don't obey the rules in our city as it is. They don't register their dogs, they don't have them in secure properties, they leave dog poop behind in public places and they risk fines - or worse an attack on a member of the public - by letting their dogs off the lead.

Rotorua has an unsavoury element. That's a fact.

How awful would it be to let that element congregate in our wonderful public spaces with their menacing, badly behaved dogs?