Petition for dog, human timeshare arrangement on inner-city beaches gathers numbers
Bayside beaches have long been a no-go zone for dogs during the busy summer months. But a move for a timeshare deal to allow furbabies to get their sand and surf fix is gaining momentum, with more than 700 people pledging their support.
Inner South
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More than 700 dog lovers have signed a petition urging a bayside council to allow their furry friends on the beach in summer.
They want a timeshare arrangement where their furbabies can have fun on the foreshore before 9.30am and after 7pm, and humans enjoy dog-free beaches the rest of the day.
Elwood local Susan Taylor is spearheading the campaign, and her efforts have doubled the amount of petition signatories since she began in November.
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“If you go down before 9.30am there’s not a soul around and it’s just a waste,” Ms Taylor said.
She has argued that Port Phillip residents pay “exorbitant” council rates and should be able to use the beach as they please during off-peak times.
Supporters want all councils in Melbourne’s southeast to ditch local laws banning dogs from the beach over summer.
Dogs are banned from beaches from Port Melbourne to Elwood between November and April, with a $161 fine for law breakers.
Ms Taylor received a $120 fine for walking her dog on Elwood Beach several years ago.
Dogs are allowed on a small section of Elwood beach — from the rock groyne south of Point Ormond to the access ramp near Normandy Rd — from 5.30am to 9.30am between November and March.
At Middle Park beach, between Kerferd Road Pier and Langridge St, dogs are permitted from 7.30am to 10.30am.
In nearby Bayside Council area, dogs are allowed on the sand before 10am and after 7.30pm at all beaches between St Kilda and Beaumaris except Hampton.
Ms Taylor’s petition has been handed over to Port Phillip Council and the issue is likely to come before councillors in March.
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