Calls for ban on dog walking during six-day COVID lockdown to be lifted as soon as possible

Walking your dog is central to the wellbeing of so many in the community, which is why the ban must be lifted as soon as safely possible, experts say.

The ban on dog walking must be lifted as soon as safely possible for the mental wellbeing of both dogs and their owners, the RSPCA says.

The animal welfare organisation’s dog training co-ordinator Heather Bradley said with no new COVID-19 cases yesterday, she hoped the tough restriction which prevented owners from exercising their pets outside the home would be reconsidered.

“I think for both human and canine mental health, it would be lovely if that was relaxed, with all the usual other restrictions in place,” Ms Bradley said.

She said the six-day lockdown would be “confronting” for dogs.

“All of a sudden, everybody’s home all day and obviously most people who have a dog have a set routine of when they walk the dog,” Ms Bradley said.

“Certainly for those that don’t have the space in an apartment or courtyard home, it’s going to be very, very difficult.”

She said while it was vital to keep dogs mentally and physically active, it was just as important to give them periods of calm throughout each day.

Ms Bradley said dogs usually slept for large chunks of the day when their family was out.

“Just like us if we don’t get enough sleep we get ratty and so can they,” she said.

Cameron, Tess Ryan and Grant Petrusevics with their children Ryan and Cameron and their four-year-old chocolate labrador cross Teddy. Picture: Keryn Stevens

Flinders University vice president Professor Michael Kyrios, who is the current director of the Orama Institute for Mental Health and Wellbeing, agreed.

“Walking the dog is the main exercise for most people on a daily basis, particularly the elderly and middle-aged people,” Prof Kyrios said.

“When you exercise and you’re out and about your mood lifts, it’s easier to access positive thinking.”

He said it was important the restriction be lifted as soon as possible since walking dogs was “so central to the wellbeing of so many people in the community”.

Dog owners have flooded social media to express their frustration at the ban since it was announced, questioning the risk of heading to their local park to exercise their pooch.

Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said yesterday that people walking to access essential goods and services could take their dog with them.

However, he appealed for people to “do the right thing”.

“We’re all in this together and the best way for us to be successful is if everybody does the right thing and honours the intention of this stay-at-home direction,” he said.

“We don’t want to see people manipulating the rules to suit themselves.”

He said changing restrictions around exercise would be one of the first to be considered.

Tess Ryan or her partner, Grant Petrusevics, walk their four-year-old chocolate labrador cross Teddy for about an hour every evening.

Often joined by one of their sons Ryan or Cameron, Ms Ryan said Teddy loved his nightly walk, which was good for his physical and mental wellbeing.

“It’s going to be challenging, not being able to walk Teddy,” Ms Ryan said.

She said the family was fortunate to have a sizeable backyard at their West Hindmarsh home, and planned to set up an exercise circuit for Teddy.

“If we did not have that I think he would just go stir crazy and I feel really sorry for those dogs and people who only have a very small backyard or no backyard at all,” Ms Ryan said.

She supported the lockdown, saying the State Government and SA Health had “to do something really fast” to get the COVID-19 outbreak under control.