Proposal 1: Passage through dog prohibited public places

Council is proposing to expand and clarify the circumstances in which dogs may be taken through dog prohibited public places. The current policy allows a person to pass through a prohibited area provided they take a clear and direct route, do not stop, and keep the dog under control on a leash in order to reach a dog exercise area.

The new policy would instead limit this access to situations where passage through the prohibited area is necessary to reach a reasonable destination. This would include travelling to the owner’s residence, a designated dog exercise area, a veterinary surgery, or a registered food business that permits dogs in its customer area. This change is intended to provide clearer guidance about when access through a dog prohibited area is appropriate and to ensure that the exception is limited to situations where there is a genuine need to pass through the area.