New association formed to push for more dollars for city’s pet parks

Dog owners pay taxes and rates and now a new association wants to see more pet-friendly policies that reflect the growing number of fur babies across the city.

A NOT for profit association has been registered to put some power behind the push for a better deal for pet owners across Brisbane.

The River City Dogs Association is urging all Brisbane dog owners to join them in creating a “lobbying” voice for the thousands of pet owners.

Brisbane has more than 100,000 registered dog owners according to the Brisbane City Council.

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One of Brisbane’s most respected property consultants Paul Liddy and Bulimba local Professor Stephen Colbran said the association was the community’s response to lagging services for rate and tax paying pet owners.

A new pet association wants to bring dog owners together to lobby for policy changes to benefit their fur babies. (AAP Image/Josh Woning)

Mr Liddy said not only did pet owners want to be able to expand the network of opportunities to travel around the city but they wanted to see greater planning and funding for existing off-leash parks around the city.

He said the Association wanted to work “positively” with Council and the State Government to bring about the change that would enable dogs to travel on designated ferries at designated times.

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It’s been four years since Teneriffe resident Alex Chaudhuri spoke out about his dog Floyd being unable to travel on the ferries. River City Dogs Association hopes to push for more pet friendly policies across the city. Picture: Paul Guy

Mr Colbran said recent changes in body corporate laws meant the city was seeing a “greater concentration of dogs in apartments” but available space sfor dogs to play and socialise were not keeping up with demand.

He said the Bulimba dog park (Love St) was a perfect example as it was “one of the smallest dog parks, if not the smallest dog park in Brisbane” but dog numbers in the surrounding suburbs were increasing rapidly.

Mr Liddy said he did not think “BCC is being as forward thinking about the issue as they need to be”.

Bulimba 'fur baby' Ziggy needs more space to run and would love to travel on the City's ferries according to Paul Liddy. Picture: Andrea Macleod

“I certainly don’t think they recognise the growth in dog ownership and where that industry is going. It has changed so much.”

“In my case, where I live in Bulimba and own a dog that requires, and I want her to have, a lot of exercise and interesting experiences there is one pitiful off leash dog area within walking distance.

“It is about the same size as a standard suburban house block, has three trees and a couple of bench seats which are totally exposed too and face the western sun.

“Larger breads find it too small and crowded to chase a ball or run freely, and to be frank – it’s boring.”

Property consultant Paul Liddy (left) and Professor Stephen Colbran have created River City Dogs Association to push for more pet-friendly policies across the City. Picture: Andrea Macleod

Mr Liddy also said public misconceptions about what dog owners wanted regarding public transport needed to be corrected.

He said “everyone has this impression we want to get animals on buses or public transport but that’s not what we want – we want a controlled trial of approved dogs on approved ferries”.

Mr Colbran and Mr Liddy called on dog owners across the city to stand together to push for a better distribution of funding for services and to ensure the ferry trial went ahead.

“If the BCC is committed to the principals and actions of its Future Blueprint then it needs to support and educate when it comes to pets,” Mr Liddy said.