Nothing gets people going like pooches, yet it would be a mistake to reduce the current barney over beach access down to a dog-lovers versus dog-disdainers argument.
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As our story on page 2 shows, you don’t have to hate dogs to get upset about what their owners do and don’t allow them to do in paradise.
One letter writer quoted in the story is a well-known dog lover, who just wants others to follow the same rules her family does.
Another writer is a champion of shorebirds and knows how vulnerable they are to a rampaging exuberant hound.
She also hates seeing the marine environment fouled by faeces.
Another Long Beach writer is upset after a dog attack – and just wants the rules enforced.
Eurobodalla Shire Council since November 2017 has gone through a protracted community consultation process over when, where and how we can walk our dogs in the shire.
The new time-sharing rules were finally enacted for beaches in November last year and this has been the first test of them under summer pressure.
The reader is frustrated at seeing so many flout the new rules, exercising dogs right in front of signs telling them not to – and wonders “what was the point?”
Our shire’s population quadruples at this time of year – and those visiting bipeds also bring four-legged friends.
Both are welcome – the Bay Post/Moruya Examiner’s lighthearted Hounds on Holiday online gallery was a hit last summer and we are repeating the adventure this year. Email community.eurobodalla@fairfaxmedia.com.au – but please respect the time-sharing, off-leash and no-go arrangements on our beaches.
Meanwhile, warm congratulations to Moruya’s Ava Weymans, who is off to do the shire proud in Canberra from January 14. The Moruya Surf Lifesaving Club volunteer is now helping keep afloat STEM subjects – science, technology, engineering and maths.
Students in recent decades have turned away from STEM subjects – a trend we suffer at our peril. Now is not the time to dumb down and walk away from evidence-based decisions.
The threat of climate change to our coast will make any argument over dogs on beaches redundant. We need all the scientists we can get – and we’re delighted Ava is stepping up.
