Animal lovers complain after Northern Beaches Council propose banning large animals
A proposal to ban large animals such as horses from residential plots on the northern beaches has caused fury on social media.
Manly
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A proposal by Northern Beaches Council to stop residential areas from keeping large animals has caused a backlash on social media.
The draft policy states that the keeping of horses along with goats, alpacas and roosters, will be prohibited in residential zones.
Only a maximum of five hens will be allowed and two bee hives.
And fencing or enclosures will need council approval.
One concerned Elanora Heights resident Clare Wainwright, 28, wrote to the Manly Daily pleading for help to stop the move and protect her right to keep her horse Shelley, who has lived on the property for 20 years, her goat, Arthur, 10 chickens and a rooster, on her five acre plot.
“Surely having horses in the area is one of the things that make the northern beaches a wonderful place to live,” she said.
“The loss of these fabulous animals to the community, especially children, would be immeasurable.
“My horse has many friends in the area, and has lived on our five acre property in Elanora Heights happily for 20 years.”
Another animal lover Georgia Higgins wrote on Northern Beaches Buy, Sell, Swap, Connect’s facebook page that Pittwater is and has always been a community of animal lovers.
“With urban sprawl, larger lots have been subdivided and the opportunity for animals is reducing,” she wrote.
“For the people who have been able to maintain their larger lots, it is unfair to remove their ability to keep their large animals.
“It is disregarding the years of community and the essence of the area to create uniformity along the northern beaches.
“I grew up in Ingleside and Belrose attending Terry Hills Public, Belrose Public and Oxford Falls Grammar.
“Everywhere we lived we had horses. The homes we lived in, even though still large properties with adequate room and fencing, would now not be allowed to keep horses.”
Ms Higgins added that the council should remember that the people living in Manly are not the same as those who live in Ingleside.
“The northern beaches resident is not only a person who swims and surfs but someone who lives in the bush and on the land with all the animals and joys that can bring,” she wrote.
After the Manly Daily contacted the council for comment, it added a note to the community submissions page.
Northern Beaches Council CEO Ray Brownlee said in a statement to the Manly Daily that the council was aware of concerns about the proposals for the management of larger animals in large properties that fall within residential zones, contained in the draft Keeping of Animals Policy.
He said the council has extended the submission period until December 8.
“In some cases, large blocks of land are located within residential zones,” he said.
“The draft policy was not intended to exclude the keeping of horses (and the like) on large lot residential properties in these areas.
“We will be making changes to the policy before bringing it back to council, to clarify that properties which are zoned R5 – “large lot residential” under the Pittwater LEP will allow these larger animals.
“We encourage community submissions on the draft Policy, so we can consider changes appropriately.”
Ms Wainright encouraged people to have their say on the proposal.
https://yoursay.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/2019-policy-review/keeping-animals-policy-draft