Historic northern New South Wales pub announces shock dog ban

A former dog-friendly pub has backflipped, imposing a total ban on all dogs at its sprawling grounds. Find out why it’s happening more often

It seems our fur baby obsession has hit a ruff patch.

From private businesses to public legislation, people are biting back against pet privileges at almost every level.

Back in 2012, the City of Gold Coast voted in favour of allowing pooches in alfresco eateries at the discretion of cafe and restaurant owners, breeding a boom in dog-friendly venues ever since.

But now it appears both patrons and owners alike have paws-ed their approval.

In fact, just over the border, the Tumbulgum Tavern has imposed a total ban on all dogs at its sprawling grounds.

“Sorry, no dogs. Several incidents involving dogs have led to a ban on all dogs at the Tumbulgum Tavern commencing Monday 11 September,” a public statement from the tavern read.

“We apologise to responsible dog owners for this and we will look to have this decision reviewed in the future.

“However, from this date there will be no dogs permitted anywhere on the pub grounds. Assistance & Guide Dogs allowed with a valid certificate.”

A notice sent to customers of the Tumbulgum Tavern in northern NSW.

On social media, customers have unleashed on irresponsible pet owners, with one woman commenting she was attacked by a dog at a Palm Beach cafe last month.

The City of Gold Coast confirmed it was aware of the incident and was investigating, with the woman stating the owners of the cafe were incredibly helpful, but the owner of the dog itself appeared unbothered.

Attacks aside, it does beg the question whether we really need to take our fur babies everywhere?

I absolutely love dogs and will give any and every very good boy or girl a big scratch behind the ears, but I’ve witnessed more than a few near doggie disasters at eateries.

Whether it’s leads stretched across the footpath ready to trip up toddlers, abrasive barking or a certain canine odour accompanying your coffee, not every dog is destined to be a good diner.

It comes down to the old adage: just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.

The historic Tumbulgum Tavern.

I’m well aware of my labrador’s limitations, which is why you will never see Sparky out to breakfast with the family. And it’s a sentiment supported by other patrons on social media.

“It’s more common than not for food establishments to allow dogs and I don’t get it. I love dogs so much, but I would never think to bring them to a cafe. Dogs don’t like cafes, they like parks and water,” said one commenter.

Another agreed: “Australia is a great place to have dogs. We have beaches with ‘off-leash’ areas, dog parks, dog-friendly hiking trails, dog meet-up groups … which is why I find it confusing that people choose to tie their dogs up under a table each Sunday so they can watch their owners eat eggs benedict.”

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese likes to take his dog to cafes. Picture: Darren Leigh Roberts

The dog discrimination is not just here on the Gold Coast either. While we may question their presence in cafes, over in the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has announced a common dog breed, the American XL Bully, could be banned by the end of the year following a series of horror maulings.

Considering the list of breeds banned in the UK is almost identical to those banned in Australia, we could well be looking at a similar situation in the future.

Australia also has the distinction of banning certain cat breeds and hybrids, such as the savannah cat, the bengal cat, chausie and safari cat. In fact, it seems cats are truly the species in the doghouse.

There has been a boom in pet-friendly venues over the past decade. Picture: iStock

The Federal Government recently announced it is “declaring war” on feral cats, releasing a draft action plan that includes measures like creating programs for recreational hunters to shoot feral cats, and euthanising some cats caught in the wild.

But it goes beyond that, with sights also set on domestic breeds and using measures already in place and enforced by the City of Gold Coast … even if many cat-lovers are unaware.

Local requirements state that all cats must be microchipped, must be safely contained on your property at all times, and a permit is required for more than two cats (or two dogs, regardless of the block size).

Meanwhile, with almost 700 dog attacks reported on the Gold Coast each year, the council recently imposed tough new Animal Management Local Laws, with the penalty for those who don’t effectively control their dogs increasing from $154 to $619.

Pet owners whose animals are caught wandering the street will be slapped with a fine of $464, up from $154. There are also new requirements for residents living in koala habitat areas to protect the native animals from dog attacks.

While it might seem the era of the fur baby is under attack, what we really need to correct is not the animals, but the poor behaviour of their owners.

Otherwise, our hard-fought pet privileges will have gone to the dogs.