Good for Manly - Candy Bingham
  • Home
  • About
    • Candy Bingham
    • Executive Committee
    • Good For Manly Association
  • Manly Talks
    • Previous Talks
  • Ferries
    • Ferry Facts
  • News
    • Manly Town Hall >
      • Town Hall Team
      • Town Hall News
  • Community
  • Contact/Subscribe
  • Become a Member

Picture

​Councillor's anti-dog owner comment goes viral

14/11/2015

4 Comments

 
Picture
A Manly Councillor has been savaged on social media with his comment that people who can’t walk dogs themselves don’t deserve to own one. 

And it’s got legs, running on interstate and other online sites, and prompting mocking retorts such as; “You shouldn’t have children if you rely on childcare?”

Liberal Cr Alan Le Surf made the comment during a council debate on new licensing policies for commercial dog walking in Manly. 

The discussion was prompted by Good For Manly Cr Candy Bingham’s call for a review of the policy, which banned commercial walkers from LM Graham Reserve, reduced their numbers and limited the number of dogs they could walk each day. 

It infuriated dog owners, who said the new policy was unfair and had been introduced without community consultation.

Local vet Dr Beth McDonald said about 50% of households already have a dog, and that number is likely to increase as changes to strata laws make apartment buildings more pet friendly. She said studies have shown that pets are good for their owners’ wellbeing, especially in an ageing population where many people live on their own. 

And while most people walk their own animals as much as they can, many need professional walkers to fill in the gaps. And some, such as unwell, or poorly-sighted older people, could never cope on their own.  Not enough dog walkers would mean more restless, barking dogs driving the neighbours crazy. 

In the end the councillors played ball, with a new park - Manly West in Balgowlah - to be considered as a new fully-fenced site. As well the council will make sure that local dog walkers are favoured over out-of-area businesses when license permits are given out.

“It’s a good outcome,” Cr Bingham said. 
“I know the dog walkers loved LM Graham Reserve, because it was fully-fenced and very safe for dogs, but it was becoming over-used and there were problems with sports people and lots of dogs sharing the same space.
“The reserve is still available for people to walk their own dogs and now we will have an additional fully-fenced area nearby.”

The new policies will be reviewed in September next year.

Image: Dr McDonald with her labrador  Ned.  She says exercise and socialisation are essential for dogs. 

Picture
4 Comments
Suzanne
23/11/2015 09:18:55 pm

The dog walking policy is completely inadequate forvthe number of dog owners utilizing this service. We need more permits, more walks and less victimization of small business.

Reply
Amanda
24/11/2015 06:36:36 am

Having a dog keeps you fit and happy but sometimes you need a dog walker if you have to go away to visit family or you are sick. Dog walkers offer a vital service and we all need safe enclosed local parks where we can walk them.

Reply
Paula Williscroft
24/11/2015 07:40:41 am

I disagree with the councils view that Graham reserve is over used by dogs, where are the facts? Are numbers being monitored scientifically? The reality is the construction of an unwanted pool on the site had reduced the reserve footprint by at least one third placing the whole reserve under stress from the existing levels of activity. That's the real issue here councillor Bingham. Was this environmental impact assessed as part of the unwanted pool complex tender process? Indeed was there a tender process?.....

Reply
A Roper
24/11/2015 02:29:32 pm

I'll bet this councillor also believes that parents who put their children into child care do not deserve to be parents. Imagine what he thinks of people who hire cleaners and landscapers? Guess they shouldn't have homes and gardens. Stupid comment really and typical council buffoonery.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Author

    Candy Bingham, Manly Ward Councillor on Northern Beaches Council posts what's making news and issues relevant to Manly on this blog. 

    To subscribe click the RSS Feed button below

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    30kph Zone
    Amalgamation
    Art
    Balgowlah
    Bandicoots
    Bikes
    B Line
    B-Line
    Boarding Houses
    Boating
    Boat Trailer Street Parking
    Boy Charlton Pool
    Budget
    Candy Bingham
    Carparks
    Car Share
    Chid Care
    Cigarette Butts
    Clontarf
    Coal Seam Gas
    Community Services
    Container Deposit Scheme; Bottles
    Council
    Council Budget
    Crime
    Crows
    Cycling
    Development Applications
    Dogs
    East Esplanade
    Environment
    Fairlight
    Fairy Bower
    Footbridge
    Good For Manly
    Good For Many
    Graffiti
    Heritage
    History
    Hospital
    Infrastructure
    Jump Rock
    Kenneth Road Parking
    Lend Lease
    Library
    Lifeline
    Litter
    Little Collins Beach
    Little Manly
    Little Manly Point
    Little Manly Precinct
    LM Graham Reserve
    Manly
    Manly2015
    Manly 2015 Plan
    Manly Beach
    Manly Boy Charlton Swim Centre
    Manly Cinema
    Manly Community Centre
    Manly Council
    Manly Cove
    Manly Dam
    Manly Ferry
    Manly Golf Club
    Manly Harbour Pool
    Manly Hospital
    Manly Oval Car Park
    Manly Sea Life Sanctuary
    Manly Swim Centre
    Manly Vale
    Manly Village School
    Manly Wharf
    Manly Wine Food Festival
    Manly Women's Shelter
    Marine Education
    Market Place
    Miap
    Mike Baird
    Mslsc
    Norfolk Island Pines
    Northern Beaches
    Northern Beaches Council
    Northern Beaches Hospital
    North Head
    North Head Sewage Plant
    North Steyne Stormwater Pipe
    Nsw 2021 Plan
    Nth Beaches Council
    Oceanworld
    Office Of Information Commissioner
    Ombudsman's Report
    Parking
    Pedestrian Crossing
    Penguins
    Police Station
    Pollution
    Precinct
    Protest
    Public Transport
    Ravens
    Referendum
    Restaurants
    Royal Far West Site
    Rta
    Rubbish
    Safe Speed Zone
    Schools
    Seaforth Tafe
    Seagrass
    Sharks
    Shoroc
    Signs
    Speed Humps
    Spit
    Spring Cove
    Spring Cove Development
    Surf Carnival; NSW State Championships
    Surfing
    Sustainability
    Sydney Harbour
    Sydney Water
    Telstra
    The Corso
    Theft
    Toilets
    Traffic
    Trees
    Urinal
    Views
    Waste Collection
    Water Tank
    Whistler St Site
    Wi Fi

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
    • Candy Bingham
    • Executive Committee
    • Good For Manly Association
  • Manly Talks
    • Previous Talks
  • Ferries
    • Ferry Facts
  • News
    • Manly Town Hall >
      • Town Hall Team
      • Town Hall News
  • Community
  • Contact/Subscribe
  • Become a Member