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DOG walkers and their canine companions recently came out in force to oppose the Clarence City Council’s proposed ban of dogs on Bellerive Beach.
Hundreds of dog walkers from Hobart’s eastern and western shores united for Paws for Bellerive.  Hundreds of dog walkers fro both sides of the river united for Paws for Bellerive Tanzi Lewis, who helped organise the protest said: “It was an amazing sight watching the dog walkers enter the beach from different tracks.
“The event was attended by a diverse range of people, such as the elderly, families with children, singles, couples, groups of friends, even non-dog owners who just like watching dogs play,” she said.
Secretary of the Hobart Dog Walking Association (HDWA), Mendelt Tillema, said dog walking was a very social activity.
“The proposed dog prohibition for Bellerive Beach had resulted in dog walkers talking to literally ‘every man and his dog’ about the council’s unfair suggestion in its Dog Management Review,” Mr Tillema said.
“The HDWA promotes the benefits of off-lead exercise and felt that a dog walk was a way to show the council that dog walkers are a significant proportion of the population and the Bellerive Beach ban could be politically sensitive given council elections are due in October,” he said.
“About 64 per cent of Australian homes have at least one pet and in Clarence there are about 9000 registered that often belong to more than one voting adult.”
Vice president of Kingborough Dog Walking Association (KDWA), Tony Walch, attended and encouraged Eastern Shore dog walkers to consider forming their own dog walking association to liaise with the council.
The KDWA was established so that it could liaise with authorities in a more formal way.
“Dog walkers are upset and puzzled about why the council wants to ban dogs from a beach which is very popular with dog walkers throughout Greater Hobart.,” Mr Walch said.
Tanzi Lewis said Clarence councillor Alderman Richard James had proposed the dog ban because he felt that Bellerive was a popular family beach.
Mr Tillema said council needed to present a stronger case for banning dogs from Bellerive Beach.
“Access to off-lead dog exercise areas is vital in any community for dog socialisation and human interaction,” Mr Tillema said.
“If Bellerive dog walkers lose access to Bellerive Beach there will be no off-lead exercise area in Bellerive.”
The council’s Dog Management review Schedule of Declared Areas Draft July 2007 lists no other off-lead exercise options for Bellerive.
“The summer restrictions prohibit dogs from Bellerive Beach from December 1to March 1, from 10am – 6pm, which is a compromise for all beach users,” Mr Tillema said.
“Council must remember dog owners are a diverse group and include families with children, the elderly, single adults and couples.”
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