The community is coming together over concerns that City of Port Phillip may be planning to restrict dog off-leash spaces.

The former mayor of Maroondah, Alex Makin, is a member of Port Phillip Pooches. He said Port Phillip Council needed to undertake an assessment of existing usage of dog parks, and determine the current and future needs of dog owners.

A key concern over Port Phillip Council’s current approach is that it has not assessed existing usage and is therefore unable to ascertain suitable demand for spaces.

“If we’re not meeting current needs, how can we then meet future needs?” he said. “This is particularly important in an area like the City of Port Phillip because there’s limited backyards and limited private open space.

“There’s also a higher than average rental population.”

Makin said now that it’s easier for renters to have pets, it’s more likely there will be an increase in the number of dogs in Port Phillip. 

Luckily groups like Port Phillip Pooches provide an opportunity for our dog community to come together and prevent loss of dog off-leash spaces:

Makin, who has two Cavoodles, Lady and Dutchess, said Port Phillip Pooches had allowed pet owners to share concerns. 

“There’s an active community that agrees that things need to improve for dog owners and dogs themselves,” he said.

Read more at: Every Doggo Needs A Space To Roam, And This Port Phillip Group Is Speaking Out | *PS News (psmedia.com.au)