Big wins for furry friends as Council acts on community feedback

Published on 18 November 2021

Frankston City Council will introduce two new animal orders allowing dogs in the Frankston City centre and creating a dog beach at Keast Park, Seaford, following extensive community consultation and feedback.

Frankston City Mayor Kris Bolam said Councillors carefully considered feedback that reflected the diverse community views on pet management.

Mayor Bolam said: “Our pets are important family members who boost our wellbeing with their unconditional love. It’s understandable that we only want the best for them. 

“Council animal orders are in place to guide and support owners’ management of their pets so they can live in harmony with neighbours, our wider community, local wildlife and the environment,” Mayor Bolam said.

The Mayor added: “Earlier this year we asked our community to vote on three animal management orders. We asked if they wanted a dedicated dog beach and over 73 per cent of respondents said ‘yes’.  

“Following much deliberation, Councillors voted at the 15 November Council Meeting in favour of Keast Park, Seaford as the safest place for a dog beach with 200 metres of sand for them to run and play.

“Keast Park is much less populated than Olivers Hill with direct parking and access via a fenced walkway. Councillors felt it was important to protect the amenity of Olivers Hill and ensure it remains a safe destination primarily for people, water sports and boats,” Mayor Bolam said. 

New dog waste bins and bag dispensers will be installed at the Keast Park dog beach as part of the initiative.

Dogs will be allowed to freely roam within the allocated markers at Keast Park foreshore from Emergency Marker FCC14 to the water outlet. The area will be clearly signposted with information on any restrictions.

Councillors also voted to introduce an animal order allowing people to take their dogs into the Frankston City Centre, specifically in the area bounded by Davey Street, Kananook Creek and Fletcher Road. Dogs must be on a leash and owners must pick up after their pet.

Frankston dog lover Suzanne Gardner, who founded Genevieve’s Dog Walking and Social Group, said she was excitedly looking forward to the new dog beach and dogs being allowed in the Frankston City centre.

Ms Gardner said dogs provided and enabled essential community connection and added to the wellbeing of residents.

She said this was particularly reinforced during the lockdowns, which highlighted the vital companionship dogs provided their owners.

“These are progressive decisions that will increase community participation, add to social cohesion and come at a time when we need it most emerging from lockdown. The new dog beach and allowing dogs in the City centre will help people to reconnect,” Ms Gardner said.

A majority of Councillors voted against a 24 hour car curfew, citing concerns including the need for cats to have access to fresh air and the outdoors.

All cat owners are required to secure their cat indoors between dusk and dawn to avoid predatory behaviour.

The two new animal management orders are scheduled to come into effect from the end of January 2022. Further information on the new rules will be provided to the community shortly.

As part of its commitment to encouraging responsible pet ownership, Council pays a portion of the desexing fee for cats and dogs for pensioners, health care card holders and veterans.

Council issues owners with a voucher which is not transferable and is valid for 28 days from the date of issue.

The vet clinic invoices the customer for two thirds of the cost at the time of the surgery and invoices Council for the remaining cost. This rebate is on the proviso that owners register their cats with Council.

Council will also increase the obedience training rebate for dog downers from 10 per cent to 50 per cent where the dog has undertaken training with a recognised training organisation.

It is anticipated this will start from 1 July 2022. This initiative is intended to further encourage residents to train their dogs in an effort to reduce dog attacks and to promote responsible pet ownership.

For more information about responsible pet ownership, please visit: https://www.frankston.vic.gov.au/Our-Community/Animals/Responsible-Pet-Ownership

Deputy Mayor Nathan Conroy said: “We’ve listened to feedback from residents and acted – recently doubling cleaning on the Frankston foreshore boardwalk and Frankston City centre to pick up dog waste to seven days per week. There is a patrol mid-morning for cleaning, however, it is noted that gradually over the day, waste will again start to increase until clean up the next day.

“While most people do the right thing, it’s important to remember that dog owners must pick up after their dog when in public and dispose of the waste appropriately. Council provides some dog waste bins in popular areas however owners are responsible for carrying their own plastic bags or scooper.”

People are required to carry a doggy bag to collect dog poo at all times when walking their dog – failure to comply may result in on the spot fines.

Mayor Bolam said: “There are currently 6057 cats and 16,998 dogs currently registered with Council. That’s 23,055 animals registered with Frankston City Council.

“Council recognises the important role pets play in our lives and invests around $1.3 million each year in animal management,” the Mayor said.

In April 2021, Councillors voted to note the Domestic Animal Management Plan (DAMP) adopted August 2020 and sought to undertake further engagement on the existing Council orders.

The DAMP is a State Government requirement under the Domestic Animal Act 1994 and requires all Victorian Councils to develop, implement and submit a DAMP to the Department of Agriculture every four years with a review of the actions undertaken each year.

Mayor Bolam said: “The DAMP sets the strategic direction of animal management within Frankston City for the next four years and will allow review on an annual basis if required.”

Animal registration and fees go towards an investment to help Council:

• Maintain a pet registry.
• Attend to nuisance complaints about barking, cat and dog trespassing and wandering and stray animals.
• Attend to and investigating dog attacks, bites and rushing incidents.
• Patrol parks, beaches and streets and picking up stray cats and dogs.
• Manage and run pound and shelter facilities.
• Attend training courses and programs to ensure officers have the most up-to-date information and skills in animal management.
• Secure the tools animal management officers need to perform their roles in the most efficient and comprehensive manner.
• Provide dog-friendly events, such as Pets’ Day Out.
• Provide over 33 free-roam parks, dog waste bins and dog drinking fountains.