Palm Beach dog off-leash area crackdown following spate of complaints and fatal attack

“Aggressive” and “irresponsible” dog owners have been blasted by a Gold Coast councillor after a blitz on one of the Glitter Strip’s most popular dog beaches, but the mission got off to a rather sorry start.

“Aggressive” and “irresponsible” dog owners have been blasted by a Gold Coast councillor after a blitz on one of the Glitter Strip’s most popular dog beaches saw thousands of dollars in fines handed out.

Council officers, accompanied by police for protection, blitzed the off-leash dog beach at Palm Beach at the weekend following a fatal mauling and a spate of complaints about rogue canines.

More than two dozen dog owners were hit with $133 fines, and warnings were issued to 32 others.

Gold Coast dog owners have been put on notice. Picture Mike Batterham

A fed-up local councillor Daphne McDonald said some people were too scared to go to the beach and warned the crackdown would continue.

“The community has told me they are sick of the behaviour of some dog owners in this area,” she said.

“I am constantly hearing about aggressive animals, aggressive owners and people leaving their dogs off leash in areas they shouldn’t.

“Some locals are telling me they are too afraid to go down there when it’s busy.

“This isn’t good enough and we will continue to fine people until this behaviour is brought under control.

“Responsible dog owners want Council to take action on irresponsible dog owners because they fear they will spoil it for the rest of us when it comes to the use of these wonderful facilities.”

The blitz did not quite go to plan, with a council vehicle getting bogged in the sand, much to the mirth of some locals.

A Gold Coast Council vehicle got bogged during a dog beach blitz. Picture: Facebook

It comes after a 14-year-old Maltese papillon named Molly was mauled to death by a rottweiler at the beach last month, leaving its owners shattered.

The council crackdown has divided the local community, with some residents branding it overkill but others in support.

“Personally I’m happy to hear it. Been a lot of dog attacks lately,” one woman posted on the Palm Beach Locals Facebook community page.

“About time I’m sick of dogs running up to me scaring me scaring me as I don’t know if they’re aggressive or not,” another resident wrote.

Some said it was irresponsible owners, not their dogs, that were at fault.

Comment has been sought from the council.