Within the George Town municipality there are many great places to exercise your furry companions both on and off-lead.
Regular exercise helps to keep your dog happy and healthy, helps to strengthen the bond between you and your dog and can help to reduce stress and nuisance behaviours such as barking, digging and jumping.
However, under the Dog Control Act 2000 there are areas where dogs are not allowed,
When out and about, below are some important questions to keep in mind.
- Do I understand the term “effective dog control in a public place”? This is when my dog is in a public place (only those that have been designated as ‘off lead’ areas in accordance with a Dog Management Policy), and is to be restrained on a lead of no more than two meters in length.
- Do I use a lead at all times on a public street or footpath in a town?
- Do I have the registration tag on the dog’s collar?
- Have I considered placing a tag with dogs name and a contact phone number on the collar, just in case?
- Do I carry a doggie bag when in public?
- Do I know where to find Council doggie bags?
- Do I pick up after my dog at all times.
- Have I considered how inconsiderate it is to leave a doggy mess for someone else to step in or clean up?
- Do I realize that even though I know my dog, it does not mean that others will have the same comfort around its potential behaviour?
- Do I understand that not all people are “dog” people, some people are afraid of dogs, and I need to take this into account when out and about particularly when the dog is off the leash?
- Have I considered that children and young people, are often afraid or intimidated by dogs. Sometimes simply the size of a dog bearing down on them can be terrifying.
